Student Archivistics: The Contribution of Master of Archival Studies Theses to Archival Professional Literature
Abstract
Setting a research agenda for archival studies is a notoriously difficult exercise when the very existence of archival science is questioned. As a contribution to demonstrating the need for theory to guide the creation of professional archival literature, the thesis literature of the University of British Columbia's Master of Archival Studies Programme is reviewed. It is suggested that a deductive framework, centred on two knowledge areas--the record and archival administration--combined with emphases on theory, method, and practice, can provide a scientific template by which to explain the School's research agenda. Such a template may also be of use in guiding the research agendas for professional archival journals.
RÉSUMÉ
Établir un programme de recherches en études archivistiques constitue un exercice notoirement difficile alors que l'on s'interroge sur l'existence même de la science archivistique. Le Programme de maîtrise en études archivistiques de l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique est révisé dans le but de démontrer la nécessité de la théorie pour guider l'avènement d'une littérature archivistique professionnelle. Il est suggéré qu'une structure déductive, centrée sur deux domaines du savoir (la gestion des documents et des archives) conjuguée avec une insistance sur la théorie, la méthodologie et la pratique peut fournir une structure scientifique capable d'expliquer le programme de recherches de l'École. Une telle structure pourra également être d'utilité pour orienter le programme de recherches des publications archivistiques professionnelles.
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