I agree that 67 seems low. I don't know if this is based on a curve (the
top 1/3rd automatically passes) or whether 67 is an absolute minimum score
every year.
I studied by reading the books in the SAA Archival Fundamentals Series and
several starred book on the CA reading list. I also met a few times with
several others taking the exam here to discuss our specialties and
questions. Fortunately, my boss had just taken the exam the year before,
and helped me target my studying.
Still, I got the lowest scores in domains I don't deal with much in my job
and the highest scores in what I do most of in the job.
I thought there were several questions designed to be ambiguous or
misleading (and they concerned matters that were largely irrelevant or
could easily be looked up if you needed to know them).
Well, nothing is perfect. But I am trying my best to recertify by
gathering points rather than taking that exam again :-)
Aloha, Ellen
On Tue, 15 Aug 2006, ruth bowman wrote:
> Thanks, Ellen -
>
> This is exactly the sort of answer I am seeking. I
> am thinking that one cannot start preparation too
> early, and must have a strategy based on others'
> experience, as well as the A.C.A. site advice.
>
> Still, 67 of 100 does not seem high. In fact, it seems
> like a low score - and that employers may not realize
> that every third answer can be wrong and yet produce
> certification. Depending upon the incorrect ones, two
> equal passing scores may reflect two quite different
> proficiencies and skill sets, not a common
> professional "standard" measurement, for example, in
> choosing between two C.A. job candidates.
>
> Ruth Bowman, Student
> SJSU/SLIS
>
> --- Ellen Chapman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Results of the CA exam include the overall score out
> > of 100 (passing was
> > 67 or above when I took it in 2003). Also provided
> > are scores for each of
> > the 7 domains in the exam (selection, arrangement,
> > reference, etc.) and
> > how many points were earned as a portion of how many
> > were available in
> > each domain (e.g., 18 out of 20 for Selection; 8 out
> > of 10 for Outreach,
> > etc.).
> >
> > |((| Ellen Chapman, MLS, MA, CA
> > |))| Archives & Manuscripts Department
> > |((| University of Hawaii at Manoa Library
> > |))| (808) 944-7656
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 15 Aug 2006, ruth bowman wrote:
> >
> > > I am curious as to what feedback comes with a CA
> > > score. Is it just a pass/fail response, an actual
> > #
> > > out of 100 score, and is it a learning experience,
> > as
> > > to the area(s) or specific questions with
> > deficient
> > > answers?
> > >
> > > I do not expect my archival coursework to provide
> > > enough background for immediate testing, but am
> > > beginning to think that, the more experience, the
> > > greater the chance of identifying with an answer
> > (thus
> > > incorrect) reflecting specific archival experience
> > (in
> > > my case, a church).
> > >
> > > How much time passed between graduate degree and
> > first
> > > certification attempt, for you successful
> > > first-timers? Or for successive attempts: how did
> > you
> > > prepare? Thanks for any insight.
> > >
> > > Ruth Bowman, Student
> > > SJSU/SLIS
> > >
> > > --- Roy Webb <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > "Truth in whatever: I originally certified by
> > taking
> > > > the exam and have
> > > > recertified twice by petition. "
> > > >
> > > > Me too; I can't remember the date but I know I
> > have
> > > > to re-up again next
> > > > year, in 2007, which I will gladly do, again by
> > > > petition. I originally
> > > > did it because all the cool kids were getting
> > > > certified, and I wanted to
> > > > go along. (Yes, I'd jump off a cliff if my
> > friends
> > > > were doing it.)
> > > > Seriously, at the time it seemed a good move and
> > > > I've never once
> > > > regretted it, not even when I sign that $50
> > check
> > > > once a year. Not to
> > > > start any flame wars but I think it demonstrates
> > to
> > > > those not in the
> > > > archival field--and that's important to say, "to
> > > > those not in the
> > > > archival field," I'm not going to look down on
> > > > anyone in the field who
> > > > walks the walk, certified or degreed or
> > sanctified
> > > > or not--that you're
> > > > serious about the profession, that you've tried
> > to
> > > > make an effort to
> > > > advance. One quibble I had the first time I
> > > > re-upped, I put down that
> > > > I'd designed and created a whole new web site
> > for
> > > > our archival photos,
> > > > which was quite the thang at the time, and was
> > only
> > > > given a couple of
> > > > points on the petition; but for warming a chair
> > at
> > > > an archival
> > > > conference I was given many more points. I
> > think
> > > > that's since been
> > > > corrected. Even though I make a big deal out of
> > it
> > > > to my librarian
> > > > (MLS) colleagues, it's mostly been useful to me
> > to
> > > > snap back at snooty
> > > > faculty members who have the proverbial
> > "alphabet
> > > > after their names" but
> > > > can't find certain parts of their anatomy with
> > both
> > > > hands. And the
> > > > petition process has been very useful to make me
> > > > step back from the
> > > > day-to-day and focus on just what I've
> > accomplished
> > > > or tried to
> > > > accomplish in the past five years, sort of like
> > an
> > > > annual report, only
> > > > for five years; a quint-annual report?
> > > >
> > > > Bottom line, I'd recommend it to anyone just
> > coming
> > > > into the field.
> > > > Aside from the bucks, how does it hurt?
> > > >
> > > > Roy Webb, C.A. (and proud of it!)
> > > > Multimedia Archivist
> > > > Special Collections
> > > > J. Willard Marriott Library
> > > > 295 South 1500 East
> > > > University of Utah
> > > > Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
> > > > office: (801) 585-3073
> > > > FAX: (801) 585-3976
> > > > [log in to unmask]
> > > > http://www.lib.utah.edu/spc/photo
> > > >
> > > > A posting from the Archives & Archivists
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
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