Created, Intended, Articulated and Projected: Four Perceptions of Purpose Around the Archival Document for Expert Users

Abstract

This article presents a new model of four perceptions of purpose relating to the archival document in archival organisations. It explains created purpose (it is what it is), intended purpose (it is what the creating or host organisation attests it as), articulated purpose (it is what the archival organisation presents it as) and projected purpose (it is what the user signifies it as) and outlines why an understanding of these may be useful for expert users in research. The article also references and supports discourse covering the conceptualisation and critical reflection of users and their interaction with the archival document.