Ms. Farner, Thank you for taking the time and energy to enter the fray of this discussion. It is interesting how this topic continually reappears and still "brings out the best in people." I have been a certified archivist for roughly a decade. I have worked in an academic library for fifteen years. As someone who entered the profession through the back door, or is it a side door--well, since there is no "real" front door, I got in somehow--I found that there is less structure to the archival field than for the library profession. Librarians don't understand archives/archivists (and archives/archivists don't often understand librarians). For me the CA exam provided a credential in a very credentialed environment. In libraries nobody wants an "unaccredited" library degree and for archivists, as Sharon Pullen and others have pointed out, there is no "degree." The Society of American Archivists, along with others like the Academy of Certified Archivists, have attempted to draft a curriculum, but nothing is in place at the moment. Until recently there seemed to be twelve ways to Sunday to be able to "sit" for the CA exam. The real question is why isn't there some standardization? I have had a thought on this and your post brought it out in the open. It is the "it depends" factor that you mentioned. I find it quite interesting that the archival field revels in its idiosyncracy. Archivists seem to enjoy the lack of certitude that idiosyncratic practices foster. This very well may be why an archival science curriculum can't get off the ground. As a certified archivist and having an "ALA accredited" MLS I can see well the two different worlds that I work in (a library and an archives). I call myself an archivist and librarian (though no one ever asks me what a librarian does). However, I wonder why libraries are far less idiosyncratic in their practices than archives. Yes the materials that each one deals with are often different, but do we seek to heighten the differences when they are differences without a distinction? I think we like to say "it depends" so that we don't have to hold ourselves to any strong standards of practice or quality control. If our mantra is "it depends" than do we have any hope establishing or furthering our profession in a manner that is easily communicated to others? If our profession were always "it depends" are we simply not advocating a "do what is right in your own eyes" philosophy? In my decade as a certified archivist I have seen the recertification process get more difficult. You cannot stay certified, as one person indicated, by paying your money. Simply doing one's job isn't enough. You must be involved professionally. Yes, standardized tests aren't the absolute best way to measure something across all populations and all desired content. But as others pointed out they are the best we've got with the contraints of time, space, and money. I recognize that there are those that "don't test well." But can you imagine what it would take for the dozens and dozens of folks that take the exam to do it differently, say, in a personal interview? And, in a professional environment where "it depends" what standards are going to be used? Who is going to be the arbitar? The SAT had an essay to it this year. My recollection is that it's a mess and there isn't a clear way to measure the content of it. As for comments back and forth about the problems of the archival literature, where else can ideas break forth and be debated? The archival literature is the only source for any standards-based assessment. Last year I participated in the ACA's exam development seminar to help develop test questions. Many hours were spent reading the literature and developing several questions that could test one's knowledge of the archival profession. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who wonders how it all happens. It is not easy. If you hold your own ideas and creations tightly it is a humbling place. Questions don't get in easily and they must be good ones. As a last note, it should be remembered that the exam is not a bunch of outsiders dreaming up a torturous exam; it is fellow archivists seeking a means to measure professional knowledge. In addition to this a psychometrician is involved to be sure that the best professional practices in testing are utilized. Well, this has been a long email to really just say, is "it depends" really the best thing for the archival profession? Shouldn't we seek to question the culture of idiosyncratic practice that has evolved? It may have been good for a scattered cadre of similarly functioning individuals in damp basements, but today? Today, in a world of computers, networks, and metadata standards?? I hope the answer isn't "it depends." David Malone, BA, MA, MSEd, MLS, CA, and Knight of the Round Table ;-) On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 10:57:29 -0600, Kelly B. Farner <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I am not sure how much ethically anyone can tell you what was on the >exam as well as the exam changes ever year (of course). The Academy of >Certified Archivists has a thorough handbook/guide. Look over that in >every detail. Like I said maybe it was what I studied or didn't >study/lack of studied. Or maybe the approach of my library school was >not in-line with that of taking a standardized test. I am not sure. My >archives professor was extremely well versed in the archival literature >and different world views of archive methodology. I didn't feel that >was the issue. The issues I had with the test came from wording and >subject matter that I don't feel were covered in the detail or minute >detail at school that showed up on the test. Again archive work is very >situational. There are standards but there are a range of acceptable >methods within those standards. The test wanted only one answer but >there may be one or more "correct" or "acceptable" ways. If you cannot >state why you answered a question - it doesn't account for these varied >yet acceptable and approved methods. I hope that makes sense. Most >likely I will be taking it over again. I think maybe there should be an >off-list study group started. > >Have a good day > >Kelly > > > >________________________________ > >From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >Behalf Of Russell D. James >Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:23 AM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: CA Exam > > > >As a library student who will be taking the CA exam next summer, I am >interested in finding out just what course materials were not covered in >your library school; which courses should be taken to better prepare for >the CA exam? What topics were covered on the exam that you had not had >exposure to? > > > >------------------------------------ > >Russell D. James > >MLIS student > >[log in to unmask] > >3450 Nicholson Drive, Apt. 2050 > >Baton Rouge, LA 70802-8620 > >tel: 225-382-3858 > >http://www.geocities.com/russelldjames > >------------------------------------ > > > >A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the >Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of >participation, please refer to >http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. > >To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] >In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES >To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] > >Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at >http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html > >Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]> > >A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. >For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. > >To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] > In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname > *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES >To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] > >Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html > >Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]> > A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname *or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>