Survey Report: Over 80% of Professionals Say Reading Foreign-Language Research Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents Is a Burden; 76% Have Experienced Layout Issues with Translation Tools
BuilBridge UG surveyed 200 professionals in Japan who regularly read foreign-language documents as part of their work in research and development and intellectual property. The survey found that 81.5% feel burdened by reading foreign-language documents, while 76.0% have experienced problems with figures, tables, or layouts being disrupted when using translation tools. This report examines the challenges professionals face when reading research papers, patents, and technical documents, and explores what is needed to reduce the burden of working with foreign-language materials.
Key Findings
We surveyed 200 R&D and intellectual property professionals in Japan who regularly read foreign-language research papers, patents, and technical documents. The survey was conducted from June to July 2026. Key findings include:
- 81.5% of respondents feel burdened by reading foreign-language documents.
- 76.0% have experienced problems with figures, tables, or layouts being disrupted when using translation tools.
- The most common challenge was difficulty understanding technical terminology (58.0%), followed by the amount of time required to read documents (50.0%).
- 38.5% said it takes them three hours or more to finish reading a single document.
- 90.0% compare translations with the original text, either almost always or sometimes.
1. More Than 80% Feel Burdened by Reading Foreign-Language Documents
When asked whether they feel burdened by the task of reading foreign-language research papers, patents, and technical documents, 38.5% responded “very much” and 43.0% responded “somewhat.” Combined, 81.5% of respondents said they feel burdened by the task. Only 5.5% said they do not feel burdened at all, highlighting the significant workload associated with reading foreign-language documents among professionals.
| Perceived burden of reading foreign-language documents | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Very much | 38.5% |
| Somewhat | 43.0% |
| Not very much | 13.0% |
| Not at all | 5.5% |
2. Nearly 40% Spend Three Hours or More Reading a Single Document
When asked about the average time required to finish reading a single document, 14.0% said five hours or more and 24.5% said between three and five hours. This means that 38.5% spend at least three hours reading a single document. The largest group, 36.5%, reported spending between one and three hours, indicating that many professionals devote a substantial amount of time to each document.
| Time spent reading one document | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 5 hours or more | 14.0% |
| 3 to less than 5 hours | 24.5% |
| 1 to less than 3 hours | 36.5% |
| 30 minutes to less than 1 hour | 18.0% |
| Less than 30 minutes | 7.0% |
In terms of reading frequency, 64.5% read foreign-language documents at least two days per week, showing that this work is deeply embedded in their regular professional activities.
| Frequency of reading foreign-language documents | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Almost every day | 20.5% |
| 4–5 days per week | 22.0% |
| 2–3 days per week | 22.0% |
| 1 day per week or less | 35.5% |
3. Technical Terminology and Time Are the Biggest Challenges
When respondents were asked to select the difficulties they encounter when reading foreign-language documents, the most common answer was “difficulty understanding technical terminology” at 58.0%. This was followed by “it takes too long to read” at 50.0%, “translation software does not work effectively” at 30.5%, “figures and tables are difficult to understand” at 30.0%, and “it takes time to identify the key points” at 28.5%.
The findings suggest that the challenge goes beyond language itself. Understanding technical terminology, figures and tables, and identifying key information are also widely shared difficulties.
| Challenges when reading foreign-language documents (multiple responses allowed) | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Technical terminology is difficult to understand | 58.0% |
| It takes too long to read | 50.0% |
| Translation software does not work effectively | 30.5% |
| Figures and tables are difficult to understand | 30.0% |
| It takes time to identify the key points | 28.5% |
| None of the above | 10.0% |
4. 76% Have Experienced Layout Problems with Translation Tools
When asked whether they had experienced problems with figures, tables, or document layouts being disrupted when using translation tools for research papers, patents, or technical documents, 32.5% answered “often” and 43.5% answered “sometimes.” Combined, 76.0% had experienced layout problems. The results suggest that existing translation tools may not adequately handle professional documents in which layout carries important meaning, such as documents containing figures, equations, or patent claims.
| Experience of layout issues during translation | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Often | 32.5% |
| Sometimes | 43.5% |
| Rarely | 14.0% |
| Never | 10.0% |
5. 90% Compare Translations with the Original Text
When asked whether they compare translated content with the original text, 56.5% said they do so “almost always” and 33.5% said “sometimes.” Combined, 90.0% compare translations with the original text. Rather than relying on translated output alone, many professionals consider checking the original text an essential part of their workflow. This finding highlights the importance of an environment that allows users to view and compare the original and translated versions side by side.
| Do you compare translations with the original text? | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Almost always | 56.5% |
| Sometimes | 33.5% |
| No | 10.0% |
Conclusion
The survey shows that professionals working with foreign-language research papers, patents, and technical documents face multiple challenges: reading takes considerable time, technical terminology and figures can be difficult to understand, translation tools may disrupt document layouts, and translated content often needs to be checked against the original.
Reducing this burden requires more than simply translating text from one language to another. Preserving the original layout while supporting the understanding of technical terminology, figures, tables, and patent claims can help professionals work more efficiently with complex documents. An environment that allows users to compare the original and translated text side by side also reflects the reality that 90% of respondents check translations against the source text.
Based on these findings, Languise will continue developing tools designed to reduce the reading burden and improve the efficiency and accuracy of professionals who regularly work with research papers, patents, and technical documents.
Survey Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Survey title | Survey on the Use of Research Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents |
| Respondents | R&D professionals, patent and intellectual property professionals, university researchers, and students in Japan who reported regularly reading foreign-language research papers, patents, or technical documents |
| Valid responses | 200 |
| Survey period | June–July 2026 |
| Method | Online survey |
| Conducted by | BuilBridge UG (operator of Languise) |
Percentages are rounded to one decimal place and may therefore not total exactly 100%.
When quoting or reproducing the results of this survey, please cite the source as: Languise, “Survey on the Use of Research Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents.”
About Languise
Languise is an AI-powered document understanding platform designed to translate, summarize, and explain patents, research papers, and technical documents while preserving their original layouts. It supports PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files, maintaining document layouts during translation while helping users understand figures, tables, and patent claims. Its preview feature displays the original and translated content side by side and allows users to ask AI questions about the document. Communications are encrypted using TLS, processed data is deleted after processing, and customer data is not reused for AI training.
- Website: https://languise.com/
- Operated by: BuilBridge
Source
- Source: BuilBridge UG, “Survey on the Use of Research Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents” (200 R&D and intellectual property professionals who regularly read foreign-language research papers, patents, and technical documents; conducted June–July 2026)