概要

RTT Mastery Exam — Internet Archive (25 Questions)

student_materials/mastery_exam_25q_with_rubric.md#


Section A — Multiple Choice (10 questions)#


1. Which operator identifies the webpage’s substrate (HTML, PDF, OCR, mixed)?#

A. WAYBACK_OPERATOR
B. METADATA_OPERATOR
C. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR
D. COLLECTION_OPERATOR


2. Which operator measures drift between snapshots?#

A. LINEAGE_OPERATOR
B. WAYBACK_OPERATOR
C. DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR
D. METADATA_OPERATOR


3. A CMS migration (e.g., static → WordPress) is detected by which operator?#

A. COLLECTION_OPERATOR
B. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR
C. LINEAGE_OPERATOR
D. WAYBACK_OPERATOR


4. Which operator determines the Internet Archive collection a page belongs to?#

A. COLLECTION_OPERATOR
B. METADATA_OPERATOR
C. WAYBACK_OPERATOR
D. DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR


5. Which operator produces the final answer about the most reliable snapshot?#

A. LINEAGE_OPERATOR
B. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR
C. DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR
D. METADATA_OPERATOR


6. Which operator identifies the continuity kernel?#

A. WAYBACK_OPERATOR
B. LINEAGE_OPERATOR
C. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR
D. COLLECTION_OPERATOR


7. Which substrate is generally the most stable?#

A. HTML
B. OCR
C. PDF
D. Mixed


8. A missing year in the snapshot timeline indicates:#

A. No changes occurred
B. A continuity break
C. A regime shift
D. A stable substrate


9. Which operator evaluates drift risk and substrate stability?#

A. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR
B. METADATA_OPERATOR
C. COLLECTION_OPERATOR
D. WAYBACK_OPERATOR


A. LINEAGE_OPERATOR
B. COLLECTION_OPERATOR
C. WAYBACK_OPERATOR
D. DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR


Section B — Short Answer (10 questions)#


11. Define “drift” in one sentence.#

Your answer:

12. Define “continuity kernel” in one sentence.#

Your answer:

13. List two examples of minor drift.#

Your answer:

14. List two examples of high drift.#

Your answer:

15. Why are PDF snapshots usually more stable than HTML snapshots?#

Your answer:

16. What does the WAYBACK_OPERATOR reveal about a webpage’s history?#

Your answer:

17. What does the PRESERVATION_OPERATOR evaluate, and why is it important?#

Your answer:

18. What is a regime shift? Provide one example.#

Your answer:

19. Why is substrate stability important when choosing a reliable snapshot?#

Your answer:

20. What does the COLLECTION_OPERATOR tell you about a webpage?#

Your answer:

Section C — Applied Analysis (5 questions)#


21. You compare snapshots from 2014 and 2019. The navigation changed and the layout shifted. What drift level is this? Why?#

Your answer:

22. A webpage has snapshots in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018. Identify any continuity breaks and explain their significance.#

Your answer:

23. A site switches from HTML to PDF between 2016 and 2019. What does this imply about stability?#

Your answer:

24. A site undergoes a CMS migration in 2020. Which operator detects this, and how does it affect drift?#

Your answer:

25. Using drift, continuity, and substrate stability, explain how you would choose the most reliable snapshot for a webpage.#

Your answer:

Answer Key (Teacher Version)#


Section A — Multiple Choice#

1 — B
2 — B
3 — C
4 — A
5 — C
6 — B
7 — C
8 — B
9 — A
10 — B


Section B — Short Answer#

  1. Drift = structural change between snapshots.
  2. Continuity kernel = elements that stay the same across snapshots.
  3. Minor drift examples: small CSS changes, slight layout adjustments.
  4. High drift examples: redesign, CMS migration.
  5. PDFs preserve layout and do not depend on live HTML/CSS.
  6. WAYBACK_OPERATOR shows snapshot timeline and drift.
  7. PRESERVATION_OPERATOR evaluates substrate stability and drift risk.
  8. Regime shift = major structural change (e.g., static → CMS).
  9. Stable substrates produce more reliable snapshots.
  10. COLLECTION_OPERATOR identifies IA collection and related objects.

Section C — Applied Analysis#

  1. Moderate drift — navigation + layout changes.
  2. Missing 2015–2016 = continuity break → uncertainty.
  3. PDF layer increases stability.
  4. LINEAGE_OPERATOR detects CMS migration → high drift.
  5. Choose snapshot with low drift, strong continuity, stable substrate.

Rubric (Teacher Version)#

Section Points Criteria
A. Multiple Choice 10 pts 1 point each; correct operator identification.
B. Short Answer 10 pts Clear, structural reasoning; no content‑based answers.
C. Applied Analysis 5 pts Correct drift classification, continuity reasoning, substrate logic.

Total: 25 points

Mastery Threshold: 22/25
Proficiency: 18–21
Developing: 14–17
Needs Support: ≤13

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