Research Methods in Interpreting: A Practical Resource - Essential

In this review of Research Methods in Interpreting: A Practical Resource, the bottom line is clear: this book is the most comprehensive and practical introduction to research across spoken and signed interpreting available. Aimed primarily at graduate students, interpreter trainers and early-career researchers, the volume brings together the expertise of two established scholars and delivers a step-by-step approach to reading literature, designing studies and producing reports. The emphasis on exercises and prompts makes it a hands-on resource rather than a purely theoretical text, which is the single biggest reason to buy.

Key Features

• Comprehensive coverage: Treats research across conference, community and signed language interpreting so readers gain a full view of the discipline.
• Expert authorship: Written by two world-recognized scholars in spoken and signed language interpreting, providing authoritative perspectives.
• Interactive elements: Questions, prompts and exercises throughout encourage active engagement and help internalize research methods.
• Practical guidance: Addresses practical research issues and shows how to produce research reports suitable for academic and professional contexts.
• Literature skills: Covers how to read and analyze research literature, helping readers evaluate studies and situate their own work.
• Broad audience utility: Designed to be useful for students, researchers, professionals and interpreter trainers seeking applied research skills.

Who It's For

Research Methods in Interpreting is best suited to graduate students in interpreting or linguistics, early-career researchers planning empirical studies, interpreter trainers building course material, and experienced interpreters looking to understand research practice. Its focus on both spoken and signed language interpreting makes it especially valuable for programs that cover multiple modalities.

Those seeking a short reference or a narrowly focused methods primer on one interpreting setting may find this book more expansive than necessary; readers needing advanced statistical techniques or an exhaustive methodological textbook should look for supplemental sources in research methods or statistics.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Practical, exercise-driven structure that supports active learning and classroom use.
• Balanced treatment of conference and community interpreting plus signed language perspectives.
• Authoritative guidance on reading literature and producing research reports for multiple audiences.
• Appropriate for both students and trainer use, bridging academic and professional needs.

Cons

• Not a substitute for a detailed statistics textbook, so readers needing advanced quantitative methods will need additional resources.

Specifications

Title	Research Methods in Interpreting: A Practical Resource
Authors	Sandra Hale, Jemina Napier
Scope	Research methods for spoken and signed language interpreting
Intended audience	Students, researchers, professionals, interpreter trainers
Contents emphasis	Reading literature, practical research issues, producing reports, exercises
Use case	Course text, practical resource, research training

Our Verdict

Research Methods in Interpreting is a practical, well-rounded resource that fills a gap by treating spoken and signed interpreting together with hands-on exercises. Students and trainers will find it excellent value for building research literacy and planning studies, while those needing deep statistical treatment should pair it with a specialist methods text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book cover signed language interpreting?
Yes. The volume explicitly covers both spoken and signed language interpreting, providing perspectives relevant to each modality.

Is it suitable for classroom use?
Yes. The questions, prompts and exercises throughout make it well suited for courses, seminars and workshop-style teaching.

Will it teach advanced statistics?
No. It covers practical research issues and report production but readers seeking advanced quantitative techniques should consult a dedicated statistics text.