SCI Translation Polish

Core Philosophy

Not translation — cross-language academic writing.

Forget the form of the source text, preserve only the meaning. Think in English, write in English.

I. Three-Layer Decoupling Principle

Translation fails when three things are mixed together. They must be separated:

Layer 1: Extract Semantic Core

• Remove all Chinese rhetoric, idioms, parallelism
• Keep only the core meaning
• Ask yourself: What is this sentence actually saying?

Layer 2: Restructure Argumentation Logic

• Chinese academic: Inductive (background → phenomenon → analysis → conclusion)
• English academic: Deductive (thesis → evidence → explanation → transitions)
• Reorganize paragraphs using PEEL structure

Layer 3: Native English Writing

• Pretend you are the author, not a translator
• Write using familiar English expressions
• Do NOT look back at the Chinese original

II. Terminology Strategy (4-Level Framework)

Level 1: Standard Translation Exists

Use it directly. No innovation needed.

Example: 素质教育 → quality-oriented education

Level 2: Approximate Concept Exists

Borrow the English term, add parenthetical explanation on first use.

Example: 民办高校 → private higher education institutions (PHEIs)

Level 3: No Corresponding Concept

Coin a term + provide a definition.

Example: 治理结构虚化 → governance structure hollowing-out

Or use descriptive phrase: the nominal governance structure

Level 4: Culture-Specific Concepts

Keep pinyin + explanation.

Example: danwei system（单位制）

Key principle: Consistency over perfection. Use the same translation throughout the entire paper.

III. Style Adaptation by Journal Type

Nature/Science Family

• Active voice preferred
• Short, direct sentences
• Results-first structure
• Minimal hedging

IEEE/ACM (Engineering/CS)

• Passive voice acceptable
• Method-heavy descriptions
• Formal, precise terminology
• Numbered references

APA (Social Sciences)

• APA citation style
• Hedges on interpretations
• Theory-first structure
• 12-point Times New Roman

General Academic

• PEEL paragraph structure: Point → Evidence → Explanation → Link
• Avoid: "In this paper, we propose..."
• Prefer: "This paper proposes..." or lead with findings

IV. Common Translationese Patterns to Avoid

V. Execution Workflow

Follow this exact sequence for every translation project:

Step 1: Pre-Processing Analysis (5 min)

Before touching any text:

1. Identify journal type → Ask user: "Which journal are you targeting?" (Nature/IEEE/ACM/APA/General)
2. Create terminology table → List key Chinese terms and their English equivalents
3. Flag culture-specific concepts → Mark terms that need pinyin or explanation

Output: A terminology reference sheet for consistent use throughout.

Step 2: Semantic Extraction (The "What")

For each paragraph:

1. Read the Chinese text once
2. Ask: "What is this paragraph actually saying?"
3. Write bullet points of the core ideas (in Chinese or simple English)
4. Discard all Chinese rhetoric, idioms, parallelism, flowery language

Output: Bullet points of key ideas, no Chinese structure remaining.

Example:

Original: 本研究采用实验方法，通过对比分析，深入探讨了不同因素对结果的影响...
Extracted: We tested how different factors affect the outcome.

Step 3: Logical Restructuring (The "How")

Reorganize the extracted ideas:

1. Apply PEEL structure to each paragraph:
• Point: Main argument (1 sentence)
• Evidence: Data/examples (2-3 sentences)
• Explanation: Why this matters (1-2 sentences)
• Link: Connect to next point (1 sentence)

1. Convert Chinese inductive logic → English deductive logic:
• Chinese: Background → Phenomenon → Analysis → Conclusion
• English: Thesis → Evidence → Explanation → Transitions

Output: Structured outline with PEEL-labeled sections.

Step 4: Native English Writing (The "Now")

Critical rule: Do NOT look at the Chinese original during this step.

1. Write from the structured outline only
2. Use the terminology table for consistency
3. Apply journal-specific conventions:
• Nature: Active voice, short sentences, results-first
• IEEE: Passive acceptable, method-heavy, formal
• APA: APA citations, hedged interpretations, theory-first
4. Write as if you are the author, not a translator

Output: First draft in native-level English.

Step 5: Quality Verification (The Check)

Run through this checklist:

Translationese Check:

• [ ] No "this paper" → use "this study" or "we"
• [ ] No "a large number of" → use "numerous" or "extensive"
• [ ] No "through" when "via/by/using" fits better
• [ ] No "research shows" → use "evidence suggests"

Structure Check:

• [ ] Sentences average 15-25 words (break up 40+ word sentences)
• [ ] Each paragraph has one clear main point
• [ ] Transitions connect paragraphs smoothly
• [ ] Terminology is consistent throughout

Journal-Specific Check:

• [ ] Citation style matches target journal
• [ ] Voice (active/passive) matches convention
• [ ] Format matches submission guidelines

Step 6: Final Polish

1. Read the English text aloud — does it flow naturally?
2. Trim unnecessary words — can you remove 10% without losing meaning?
3. Strengthen verbs — replace weak verbs with precise ones
4. Final terminology consistency check

Output: Publication-ready English manuscript.

VI. Quick Reference Card

When in doubt, remember these principles:

VII. Quality Checklist

After writing, verify:

• [ ] No Chinese-specific idioms remain
• [ ] Sentences average 15-25 words (not 40+)
• [ ] Each paragraph has one clear main point
• [ ] Transitions connect ideas between paragraphs
• [ ] Terminology is consistent throughout
• [ ] Citation style matches target journal
• [ ] Passive/active voice matches journal convention
• [ ] No Chinglish patterns: "make + noun", "pay attention to"

VI. When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Preparing Chinese research papers for international publication
• Translating thesis/dissertation to English
• Polishing manuscript for journal submission
• Writing abstract/conclusion following English academic conventions

Trigger phrases:

• "translate this paper to English"
• "polish my academic writing"
• "make this publication-ready"
• "convert to Nature/IEEE/APA style"