The data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods, employing both manual and semi-automatic techniques. While the dataset includes a large amount of longitudinal and cross-sectional information, the analysis primarily focuses on cross-sectional comparisons, that is, comparing the different competence groups. True longitudinal analysis, understood as tracking changes in individual or group performance over time, remains peripheral, if addressed at all.

Quinci’s results fall into three broad categories: text linguistic characteristics of target texts, quality of the translations and questionnaire findings on the translation process. After having analysed the textual patterns of the target texts, she concluded that the target texts produced by novices typically exhibited higher levels of lexical richness, but lower degrees of explicitness than those of the other groups. Their texts were further characterised by extreme syntactic complexity (i.e., long sentences), which led to reduced readability. In contrast, the intermediate group represented the opposite end of the spectrum: their translations demonstrated the lowest level of lexical richness and the highest degree of explicitness. Professionals occupied an intermediate position with respect to both explicitness and lexical richness, while their target texts had the highest readability scores among all groups.

Results of translation quality assessment suggest a positive relation between translators’ competence levels and the overall quality of their translations. Among the various error types, accuracy emerged as the most salient one, distinguishing between more experienced and less experienced translators. Specifically, professionals’ translations tended to be more accurate than students’ translations. Furthermore, Quinci’s findings indicate that translator training contributes to reducing performance differences between students.

The self-report questionnaire in Quinci’s study included questions, among others, on perceived text difficulty, main types of difficulties in the source text (e.g., lexical, syntactic), perceived adequacy of time allowed for the translation task, self-assessment, information on the reading strategy used when reading the source text, the number and types of resources used, and the type of revision translators engaged in the last phase of their work. The extent of the list above suggests that the questionnaire generated exceptionally rich data. Findings revealed that novices and professionals were the fastest translators, and overall, participants reported satisfaction with the time allocated for the task. Perceived text difficulty was negatively related to translation competence; that is, individuals with higher competence levels tended to perceive the text as less challenging. At the same time, more experienced translators were able to identify more complex difficulties within the source text. Notable differences were also observed in the use of reference materials. Interestingly, professionals relied on a narrower range of resources than novices, and these resources consisted primarily of mono- and bilingual dictionaries. Regarding revision strategies, novice translators were more likely to perform unilingual self-revision (i.e., reading and revising the target text only), whereas more experienced students and professionals engaged in comparative revisions, often in combination with monolingual revision.

The most salient finding from the questionnaire concerns participants’ self-assessment. The analysis revealed that novice translators expressed high levels of satisfaction with their own performance, whereas intermediate students demonstrated somewhat lower levels of self-confidence. Interestingly, professionals were more similar to novices in that they rated their performance higher. This pattern appears to replicate the Dunning-Kruger effect, which posits that people with limited competence are prone to overestimating their abilities (Dunning, 2011).

Quinci’s study is one of the most important projects investigating the development of translation competence. The study is distinguished by its relatively large sample size, rigorous research design, and a systematic investigation of a wide range of variables. Limitations include the relatively short time span of the study, the reliance on self-report questionnaires for collecting process data, the focus on only one language pair and the absence of statistical analysis.