Documentation of Collections Questions and Answers

Answer: A

The stages of applying a number on a metal object are (a), (d), (b), (c). The surface is dusted and cleaned first, then a coat of primer is applied, the number is written on the primer, and finally the number is sealed with a protective coat.

The other orders apply the number before the primer, or seal it before it is written, or begin with the number before cleaning the surface, so they are not the correct sequence.

Answer: C

The right order of the stages of documentation is recording the details of potential acquisitions, formally accepting the material for the museum, allocating the accession number, and generating a full record for each item, I, III, IV, II, option C. An accession number is given only after the material has been accepted, and the full record of each item is made after it has a number. Options A, B and D place the number before the acceptance, or start with the full record.

Answer: C

Both statements are right, option C. The accession numbers of temporary loans are usually put on stickers, tape or tags, and not painted or marked on the object, so that they can be easily removed before the objects are returned to the lenders. The reason gives the purpose of the practice. Options A, B and D call one or both of the statements wrong. Each statement is judged on its own first, and only then is it asked whether the reason accounts for the assertion, which keeps the choice between the four codes clear.

Answer: B

CIDOC in ICOM-CIDOC stands for the Committee for Documentation. It is the International Committee for Documentation of the International Council of Museums, and it sets standards for recording information about museum collections, including the conceptual reference model for cultural heritage. It does not stand for disaster management, display or disposal of collections, which are not the names of ICOM committees. A museum that follows this standard can describe each object in a consistent way, which allows catalogues of different museums to be shared and compared.

Answer: B

In an accession number such as 87.19.15.a, the first part is the year of acquisition, which means the object was acquired in 1987. The second part is the group or lot within that year, the third is the object within the group, and the letter is a part of the object. So the first part does not give the 87th acquisition, the 87th group or the 87th part. Museums use this system so that each object can be traced to its year of acquisition and to its group, which makes the register easier to search.

Answer: C

Both statements are wrong, according to the official key. The accession number should be written on a physically stable surface, not an unstable one, so that it does not flake off, and it should be applied over a barrier coat so that it can be removed when necessary without damaging the object. The reason offered, easy removal, does not justify choosing an unstable surface. This follows the official key.

Answer: C

Both statements are wrong, according to the official key. A newly sharpened pencil has a hard, sharp point that can scratch or dent paper, and a soft pencil with a blunt point is advised for marking paper material. The reason, that it writes smoothly, does not justify the choice. Hence neither statement is right. This follows the official key.

Answer: C

All four items should be included when documenting a textile: the presence of sewing or stitch holes, the nature of the fibres of both warp and weft, the count per centimetre of both warp and weft, and the type of weave and its colour. Each describes the structure or the condition of the fabric, so the complete record needs a, b, c and d. A record of this kind lets a textile be identified and compared with others, and it shows where the fabric has been repaired or altered.

Answer: A

Both are right. The security of museum collections depends on sound documentation, because documentation establishes the identity of each object and helps to track the movement of objects, so a missing item can be noticed and recovered.

The reason explains the assertion, so the option saying both are right is the answer.

A numbered accession register and catalogue records also let staff check the collection regularly, so a loss or an unauthorised movement is discovered quickly.

Answer: B

The correct matching is a-iv, b-i, c-ii and d-iii. Cataloguing is the process of recording detailed and research-based information about objects, the accession number is the unique identification given to an object and written on or attached to it, a registrar is the custodian of museum records, and disposal is the act of getting rid of something unwanted.

The other codes mismatch these terms.

Cataloguing and accessioning are different things: the accession number is the identity tag, and the catalogue holds the fuller description and research.