RTT Cheat Sheet — Internet Archive (Student Edition)
archive_org module — student_materials/cheat_sheet_student.md#
1. What This Module Teaches#
Use the Internet Archive to understand:
- how webpages change over time
- which versions are stable
- how to detect redesigns and migrations
- how to choose the most reliable snapshot
You will use the RTT operator chain to guide your analysis.
2. The Six Operators (Student Version)#
1. METADATA_OPERATOR#
Identifies the webpage’s basic structure:
- format (HTML, PDF, image, OCR)
- type of site (institutional, news, scholarly, etc.)
- expected drift level
2. WAYBACK_OPERATOR#
Collects snapshots and shows:
- timeline of captures
- drift between years
- missing years (continuity breaks)
3. LINEAGE_OPERATOR#
Shows how the webpage evolved:
- template changes
- navigation changes
- CMS migrations
- stable elements (continuity kernel)
4. COLLECTION_OPERATOR#
Places the webpage in context:
- which IA collection it belongs to
- related pages
- structural family
5. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR#
Checks how stable the snapshots are:
- substrate stability
- drift risk
- mixed layers (HTML + PDF, etc.)
6. DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR#
Finds the most reliable version by combining:
- drift
- continuity
- substrate stability
- collection context
3. Drift Levels (Student Guide)#
- None — looks the same
- Minor — small layout or style changes
- Moderate — navigation or template changes
- High — redesign, rebuild, CMS migration
4. Substrate Types (Student Guide)#
- PDF — most stable
- Image — stable but incomplete
- HTML — drift‑prone
- OCR — lossy, high drift
- Mixed — requires careful evaluation
5. Continuity Kernel#
These are the parts of a webpage that stay the same across snapshots.
Examples:
- header
- footer
- main menu
- index page
- sidebar
If these stay the same, the site has good continuity.
6. How to Compare Two Snapshots#
Look for structural differences:
- layout
- navigation
- template
- sidebar
- header/footer
- presence/absence of PDF layer
Avoid content differences — focus on structure only.
7. How to Choose the Most Reliable Version#
Pick the snapshot that has:
- Stable substrate (PDF > HTML > OCR)
- Low drift
- Strong continuity kernel
- Few or no missing years
- No major redesigns
8. Quick Student Workflow#
- Pick a webpage
- List its snapshots
- Compare two snapshots
- Identify drift
- Find continuity kernel
- Check substrate stability
- Choose the most reliable version
9. Common Patterns#
- Government sites → stable, low drift
- News sites → high drift, frequent redesigns
- Journals → mixed substrates, periodic updates
- Vintage software → very stable, versioned
10. One‑Sentence Summary#
RTT helps you find the most reliable version of a webpage by analyzing structure, drift, continuity, and substrate stability — not content.