A scientometric analysis of 792 MTI (English translation) theses (2013-2022): A case study of five universities in Hubei Province of China

This study conducts a scientometric analysis of the writing types, citation theoretical frameworks, research foci, and weak points of Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) degree theses, taking five universities in Hubei Province of China as an example. The analysis is based on a dataset comprising 792 MTI (English Translation) theses indexed in the CNKI database from 2013 to 2022. Utilizing CiteSpace, the research reveals that: 1) from 2013 to 2022, graduates from the surveyed universities predominantly adopted the translation practice report, accounting for 97%; 2) Students integrate relevant theoretical frameworks to analyze and discuss problems or difficulties encountered in their translation practice, summarizing translation strategies, methods, or techniques; 3) It is observed that current MTI theses exhibit a discrepancy between the five prescribed writing types and real-world writing preferences, confusion between translation theories and translation concepts, and inadequate MT literacy in thesis writing. Following the 2024 edition of the “0551 Requirements for Master of Translation and Interpreting”, this paper provides detailed discussions on problems of surveyed theses, aiming to align with the current situation of MTI education reform and offer practical suggestions for MTI thesis writing. Keywords: MTI Theses, CiteSpace, Thesis Writing Types, Translator Training, MTI Education