ARCV30730 Arranging & Describing Archives

Academic Year 2024/2025

Arranging and describing collections is a fundamental part of the work of the archivist. This module introduces students to the principles which guide the production of finding aids or catalogues of archives. It looks at the practical ways in which archivists establish control over their collections. The module examines in detail the ways that archives can be arranged and explores the different levels of archival description (fonds, series, file and item) in the light of the International Standard for Archival Description. It examines how to approach the indexing of archives, the description of non-text material and provides a basic introduction to archival cataloguing software.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:Demonstrate an understanding of the basic steps and principles involved in processing archival collections. Create fonds, series, file and item level descriptions in line with current Irish and international standards. Describe and arrange a small collection of archival material.

Indicative Module Content:

The module will cover the following broad areas; Week 1; Introduction to Archival Representation; Week 2 Thinking about Standards; Week 3 Planning a Descriptive Project - practical considerations; Week 4 and 5: Arrangement, Coding and Numbering; Week 6 Indexing and Creating Authority Records; Week 7: Reading Week; Week 8: Getting Archives Online; Week 9: Introduction to Open Source Software; Week 10: Introduction to Commercial Software; Week 11 Describing and Arranging visual and oral material; Week 12 Macro level considerations - alternative approaches to description and arrangement.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

20
Autonomous Student Learning

110
Total

130
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group module. It is taught through a two-hour weekly seminar. Each seminar provides an overview of the week’s topic, focusing upon different aspects of archival representation, e.g. the role of standards, approaches to arrangement, the significance of indexing etc. There is a focus upon individual active / task-based learning by means of class discussion, group work and in class exercises. Advanced skills in all aspects of archival representation are developed through a large practical listing project carried out in the student's place of work. Autonomous learning is advanced through this ongoing practical work. The student's own experience of practical work is reinforced by guest lectures from practitioners from various types of archive. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Arranging & Describing Archive (HIS30730)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Individual Project: Students create a finding aid linked to a collection of material in the archive that they are working with. n/a Graded Yes

100

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual written feedback will be given to students post-assessment in Brightspace. Formative feedback will be given to students if they wish to avail of it on a range of tasks linked to completing the descriptive project: on their project management plan, on the descriptive approach used for individual units in the list; on their arrangement and on indexing. One to one oral feedback will be given to students post-assessment if this is requested.