Reflective Voices in Specialized Translation: A TAP-Based Study of Student Strategies and AI Evaluation

This study explores the cognitive strategies employed by Romanian student translators during technical translation tasks involving an iPhone 15 product description. Using Think-Aloud Protocols (TAPs), the research captures real-time decision-making and metacognitive awareness. TAP data, student reflections, and comparative evaluations of AI-generated translations reveal key challenges and problem-solving behaviors. The findings underscore the pedagogical value of TAPs in fostering strategic competence and reflect on the evolving role of human judgment in specialized translation domains. The study contributes to process-oriented research in translation studies and offers implications for translator training.