Certified Archivist Examination Practice Test
Build your confidence for Certified Archivist Examination. Practice the concepts, understand the answers, and strengthen your knowledge one question at a time.
Try a sample questionExam overview and details
Archives certification covering archival theory, arrangement and description, reference and access, preservation management, and archival administration. Administered by Academy of Certified Archivists. Key domains include Arrangement and Description, Cultural Competency, Managing Archival Programs and Outreach, Advocacy, and Marketing. The exam consists of 100 questions over 180 minutes.
Sample Questions
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A local museum offers an archive 200 exhibit labels, loan forms, and conservation reports for artifacts being transferred to another institution. The receiving archive does not collect artifacts but does document regional museum practice. What should appraisal emphasize?
A donor offers a box of letters purchased at an estate sale, claiming they were written by a civil rights organizer. The archive collects in this area, but handwriting, provenance, and ownership history are uncertain. What is the best next appraisal step?
A university archive is offered a retiring president's email export, paper speech files, and personal travel photographs. The deed of gift draft transfers physical custody but is silent on copyright, privacy review, and born-digital processing. What should the archivist do before accessioning?
A repository receives a takedown request from a photographer who claims copyright in images posted from a donated collection. The deed transferred physical ownership but not clearly copyright. What is the best first response?
A repository imports MARC records into a collection management system that supports DACS-aligned finding aids. Legacy records lack creator histories, dates are inconsistent, and container lists use local abbreviations. What normalization work should be prioritized?
Exam insights and study advice
Achieving certification provides tangible, real-world value by establishing a recognized standard of professional competency. In a field dedicated to preserving authentic evidence and cultural memory, the CA credential assures employers, donors, and the public that an archivist possesses the necessary skills to manage records responsibly and ethically. It directly impacts career trajectories, often being a preferred or required qualification for advanced positions. Furthermore, it fosters public trust in archival institutions by promoting consistent, high-quality practices that ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of historical materials.
What this exam covers
01Arrangement and Description
Candidates explore analyzing existing arrangement and description structures, designing thorough arrangement plans, and successfully implementing descriptive plans designed to clearly explain administrative structure, historical context, and content to promote accessibility for all users.
02Cultural Competency
This section focuses on culturally competent identification and acquisition of records, understanding the diverse cultures holding records, and applying culturally appropriate communication strategies and community protocols throughout the archival workflow.
03Managing Archival Programs
This domain centers on developing a strategic vision for archival programs, carefully assessing staffing and financial performance, identifying essential facility needs, and creating sustainable organizational policies alongside practical operational procedures.
04Outreach, Advocacy, and Marketing
Practitioners learn about promoting the use of archival materials through targeted outreach, developing strong relationships with key constituents, participating in educational programming, and actively marketing unique institutional collections to the public.
05Preservation and Protection
This area involves analyzing the current physical condition of archival materials, adopting proactive preservation strategies, applying best practices for long-term storage, ensuring physical security, and preparing emergency disaster response procedures.
06Professional, Ethical, and Legal Responsibilities
Candidates examine maintaining ongoing professional awareness through reading and continuing education, actively contributing to the development of the archival profession, and conforming strictly to established professional and ethical standards.
07Reference Services and Access
This section addresses defining user information needs, developing clear policies and procedures for reference services, responding appropriately to diverse user requests, and assessing the overall quality of reference and access services provided.
08Selection and Appraisal
This domain focuses heavily on identifying sources of archival materials, establishing communications with donors, evaluating record characteristics, appraising collections for enduring value, and implementing effective disposition recommendations across various institutional settings.