ACA Exam Questions and Answers
What is an Accession File? (3 main points) - Answer-1. An INTERNAL resource for documenting the
LEGAL TRANSFER of a collection to an archives. 2 Contains PROOF OF CUSTODY and information on
DONORS. 3. Should NEVER be given to RESEARCHERS for review.
What are three definitions of "Archives"? - Answer-1. A physical building or room for storage of
collections. 2. An institution/organization of record keeping. 3. A specific collection of papers.
Define Accrual or Accretion - Answer-An ADDITION to an existing series or manuscript group.
What is the purpose of Archival Description? - Answer-To IDENTIFY and EXPLAIN CONTEXT and
CONTENT of archival material in order to PROMOTE ACCESSIBILITY.
What does DACS stand for and what are its eight principles? - Answer-"Describing Archives: A Content
Standard"
1. Records and Archives contain unique characteristics.
2. The principle of RESPECT DES FONDS is the basis of archival arrangaement and description.
3. Arrangement involves the identification of groupings within the material.
4.Description reflects arrangement.
5.Description applies to all archival materials regardless of form or medium.
, 6.The principles of archival description apply equally to records created by corporate bodies and by
individuals or families.
7. Archival descriptions may be presented in a variety of outputs and with varying levels of detail.
7.1: Levels of description correspond to the levels of arrangement.
7.2: Relationships between levels of description must be clearly indicated.
7.3: Information provided at each level of description must be appropriate to that level.
8. The creators of archival materials, as well as the materials themselves, must be described.
What does "Respect Des Fonds" refer to? - Answer-The basic tenet that records created, accumulated,
and/or maintained and used by an organization or individual must be kept together in their original
order - IF IT EXISTS OR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED.
A. Provenance
B. Original Order
Manuscript Collection Vs. Archives Record Group - what's the difference? - Answer-Manuscripts =
collection of personal or family papers.
Archives Records = collection produced by a government agency or organization in the process of doing
its business.
***THESE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE ARCHAIC AND NOW FREQUENTLY USED INTERCHANGEABLY.***
Define the acronym: IPR - Answer-Intellectual Property Rights
Define the Acronym: EAD - Answer-Encoded Archival Description - allows for presentation of of
information in hierarchical displays reflecting the organization of the records
What is an Accession File? (3 main points) - Answer-1. An INTERNAL resource for documenting the
LEGAL TRANSFER of a collection to an archives. 2 Contains PROOF OF CUSTODY and information on
DONORS. 3. Should NEVER be given to RESEARCHERS for review.
What are three definitions of "Archives"? - Answer-1. A physical building or room for storage of
collections. 2. An institution/organization of record keeping. 3. A specific collection of papers.
Define Accrual or Accretion - Answer-An ADDITION to an existing series or manuscript group.
What is the purpose of Archival Description? - Answer-To IDENTIFY and EXPLAIN CONTEXT and
CONTENT of archival material in order to PROMOTE ACCESSIBILITY.
What does DACS stand for and what are its eight principles? - Answer-"Describing Archives: A Content
Standard"
1. Records and Archives contain unique characteristics.
2. The principle of RESPECT DES FONDS is the basis of archival arrangaement and description.
3. Arrangement involves the identification of groupings within the material.
4.Description reflects arrangement.
5.Description applies to all archival materials regardless of form or medium.
, 6.The principles of archival description apply equally to records created by corporate bodies and by
individuals or families.
7. Archival descriptions may be presented in a variety of outputs and with varying levels of detail.
7.1: Levels of description correspond to the levels of arrangement.
7.2: Relationships between levels of description must be clearly indicated.
7.3: Information provided at each level of description must be appropriate to that level.
8. The creators of archival materials, as well as the materials themselves, must be described.
What does "Respect Des Fonds" refer to? - Answer-The basic tenet that records created, accumulated,
and/or maintained and used by an organization or individual must be kept together in their original
order - IF IT EXISTS OR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED.
A. Provenance
B. Original Order
Manuscript Collection Vs. Archives Record Group - what's the difference? - Answer-Manuscripts =
collection of personal or family papers.
Archives Records = collection produced by a government agency or organization in the process of doing
its business.
***THESE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE ARCHAIC AND NOW FREQUENTLY USED INTERCHANGEABLY.***
Define the acronym: IPR - Answer-Intellectual Property Rights
Define the Acronym: EAD - Answer-Encoded Archival Description - allows for presentation of of
information in hierarchical displays reflecting the organization of the records
