Explore Ikea's instructions by visiting their assembly instruction page http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/customer_service/assembly_instructions.html

1.Compare instructions for two or more products.
2.Briefly summarize the similarities and differences.
3.Compose a 150-200 word response on the strengths and weaknesses of pictorial versus narrative instructions.

This stock photo (photolia.com) illustrates that although translation can help the pieces fit together, it does not provide a complete picture or seamless localization result. For example, when translating from German to English the first language of the translator should be considered. Native speakers of English may be more in tune with the nuances of the language such as dialectic variations and idiomatic expressions.

Cut and paste a passage from your own writing into a web-based translation tool, such as BabbleFish (https://www.babelfish.com/) and translate it into a language native one of your co-workers, acquaintances, or an international student on campus. Ask that person to read the translated version and compare the intended meaning of your original passage. Post a brief summary of your findings to the discussion thread.