This research, completed under the sponsorship of the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS, VNU) in the VNU research grant No “Models for English-Vietnamese translation assessment”, has piloted Kurz’s model in 1989 with eight criteria in assessing simultaneous interpreting quality in three conferences. | VNU Journal of Science: Foreign Studies, Vol. 32, No. 4 (2016) 12-20 Piloting an Assessment Model of Interpreting Quality Nguyen Ninh Bac* Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, VNU University of Languages and International Studies, Pham Van Dong, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam Received 21 June 2016 Revised 29 November 2016; Accepted 30 November 2016 Abstract: How to assess interpreting quality in conferences remains a question not yet satisfactorily answered. When disputes arise upon interpreters’ performance in conferences, the related parties do not have a consistent ground to base their assessment on. This research, completed under the sponsorship of the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS, VNU) in the VNU research grant No “Models for English-Vietnamese translation assessment”, has piloted Kurz’s model in 1989 with eight criteria in assessing simultaneous interpreting quality in three conferences. The findings show that this model allows comprehensive, accurate and objective assessment of interpreting quality. They also help pointing out interpreter’s strengths and weaknesses. However, there are certain limitations in the model, especially regarding large scale applicability and the incorporation of external quality factors. Keywords: Interpreting, quality, assessment, Kurz, model. 1. Introduction conferences, the related parties do not have a consistent ground to base their assessment on. Most of the time, the complaining party only bases on their subjective, arbitrary “feelings” on the interpreter’s output. This method of assessment is of course not acceptable to professional interpreters. But these interpreters themselves, in their turns, may not be able to defend their position with convincing arguments [1:768]. While translation has been done for thousands of years, simultaneous interpreting has only appeared since 1927 and become more popular after 1945 [2:30]. That partly explains why there has been intensive research
