The Translation and Attribution Challenge in Malaysian Qualitative Research
Malaysian qualitative researchers who conduct interviews in Bahasa Malaysia and then translate participant quotes for presentation in English-language theses face a dual attribution challenge: they need to attribute the original statement to the participant (maintaining the participant’s voice and the authenticity of the data) while acknowledging that the English version the reader sees is a translation produced by the researcher (maintaining transparency about the mediation of the data). Knowing how to cite translated quotes from Malay participants in APA correctly resolves this challenge without compromising either attribution or transparency.
The Recommended Approach in Your Methodology Chapter
Before presenting any translated quotations in your findings chapter, establish your translation convention clearly in the methodology chapter. A single declarative statement is sufficient: “All interviews were conducted in Bahasa Malaysia. Quotations presented in this thesis are the researcher’s translations unless otherwise noted. The original Bahasa Malaysia texts are available in the interview transcripts in Appendix B.” This convention statement, established once in the methodology, means you do not need to add translation disclaimers to every individual quotation throughout the findings and discussion chapters.
Formatting Translated Quotations in the Findings Chapter
In the findings chapter, present translated quotations using the standard in-text quotation format — inline for fewer than forty words, block format for forty words or more — followed by the participant identifier: (P3, personal communication, March 2025) or simply P3 in your chosen format. The English translation is the version that appears in the text. If you wish to include the original Bahasa Malaysia passage — which is good practice for direct quotations that are central to your analysis — include it in a footnote or in the corresponding transcript in the appendix, noting the discrepancy between the two versions if they reveal interpretive nuances.
For quotations where translation choices are analytically significant — where a specific Malay term does not have a direct English equivalent and the choice of translation affects the interpretation — include a brief note explaining the translation decision. “The participant used the term ‘tertekan’ (literally ‘pressed down’, commonly used to describe psychological stress or pressure) throughout this exchange.” This kind of translator’s note demonstrates engagement with the linguistic dimension of the data and is particularly valuable in research where cultural meaning embedded in language is analytically relevant.
Maintaining Participant Confidentiality in Translated Quotations
When translating participant quotations, ensure that any identifying information present in the original Malay is also anonymised in the English translation. Place names, institutional names, names of individuals mentioned by participants, and any other identifying details should be replaced with generic descriptors in the translation, consistent with the anonymisation approach described in your ethics and methodology chapters. The translation process is an additional opportunity — and an additional responsibility — to protect participant confidentiality throughout the thesis.
