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ARCV41500

Academic Year 2026/2027

Deciding What to Keep (ARCV41500)

Subject:
Archivistics
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Elizabeth Mullins
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

One of the most challenging and arguably most significant tasks of the archivist is managing the process of deciding what records are of continuing value and warrant preservation in archives. This module broadly discusses ideas of collective memory and archival inclusiveness, addressing the issues of whose records should be preserved and the relationship of professional archivists to other collectors of records, particularly to community archives. The module then focuses on the strategies the profession has devised to appraise records, covering use based and societal methods, documentation strategies, macroappraisal, functional analysis, community and participatory approaches. Taking a case study approach, the module examines the practical application of these strategies to both public and private records and explores their continued applicability to the appraisal of digital material. The module introduces the frameworks the profession uses to facilitate the acquisition of archives in terms of collecting and acquisition policies and deposit agreements. It covers the practical and ethical issues that can arise when acquiring archives, discusses the value of person-centered approaches to this area of archival work, and introduces the processes of accessioning and deaccessioning collections.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module students should be able:
To understand the key theoretical approaches to the appraisal of analogue and digital archives
Evaluate the relative merits of applying different appraisal strategies in practice
Demonstrate familiarity with and be able to formulate a collection development policy
Manage the acquisition and accessioning of analogue and digital archives from donors




Indicative Module Content:

The module has six three-hour long seminars that are complemented by repository visits and hand-on workshops. Indicative seminar content is as follows: Seminar 1: Introduction to appraisal in theory and practice Jenkinson and Schellenberg; Seminar 2 From Use based approaches to Documenting Society; Seminar 3 Functional analysis, Macroappraisal and Case Files; Seminar 4 Community and Personal Approaches; Seminar 5 Acquisition and Dealing with Donors; Seminar 6 Accessioning and Deaccessioning.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Proficient

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Proficient

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Proficient

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Proficient

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Proficient

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Proficient

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 2

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 2
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Seminar (or Webinar)

18
Practical

6
Field Trip/External Visits

4
Total

108

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small group module which is taught through six three hour face-to-face seminars. Each seminar provides an overview of a topic linked to the key module content. This is supported by the use of lecture slides and in-class activities, such as the analysis of relevant case studies and policies. Students are encouraged in individual active learning through participation in class discussions and in-class exercises. Student learning is further supported by guest lectures, site visits and hands-on workshops. Autonomous learning includes the reading of literature linked to relevant theoretical approaches and case studies available on Brightspace. Generative AI may not be used for assessments in this module. If you have any concerns about what is included in the remit of generative AI, please consult with your Module Coordinator. A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Assignment linked to acquisition and accessioning and dealing with the donors of archives. Week 14 Graded No
50
 No
Reflective Assignment: Assignment linked to appraisal theory and practice. Week 7 Graded No
50
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on all assessments will be provided to each student via Brightspace and to the group for assignments handed back during the semester. Individual feedback on all assignments will be provided by one-to-one meetings on Zoom or via email if requested by students.

Name Role
Dr Julie Brooks Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Della Keating Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Lorraine McLoughlin Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 10:00 - 12:50
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