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
10. Which operator groups related objects into coherence clusters?#
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#
- Drift = structural change between snapshots.
- Continuity kernel = elements that stay the same across snapshots.
- Minor drift examples: small CSS changes, slight layout adjustments.
- High drift examples: redesign, CMS migration.
- PDFs preserve layout and do not depend on live HTML/CSS.
- WAYBACK_OPERATOR shows snapshot timeline and drift.
- PRESERVATION_OPERATOR evaluates substrate stability and drift risk.
- Regime shift = major structural change (e.g., static → CMS).
- Stable substrates produce more reliable snapshots.
- COLLECTION_OPERATOR identifies IA collection and related objects.
Section C — Applied Analysis#
- Moderate drift — navigation + layout changes.
- Missing 2015–2016 = continuity break → uncertainty.
- PDF layer increases stability.
- LINEAGE_OPERATOR detects CMS migration → high drift.
- 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