RTT Worksheet (Printable Edition)
archive_org module — student_materials/worksheet_printable.md#
1. Purpose#
This worksheet teaches you how to explore the history of a webpage using the Internet Archive.
You will learn how to:
- identify structural changes
- detect drift
- find stable versions
- understand why some versions are more reliable
All steps follow the RTT operator chain.
2. Select a Webpage#
Write the URL of the webpage you want to analyze:
Target URL:
3. Collect Snapshots (WAYBACK_OPERATOR)#
Visit the Wayback Machine and view the timeline.
List 4–6 snapshot years:
Did you notice any missing years?
4. Compare Two Snapshots (LINEAGE_OPERATOR)#
Choose two snapshots and compare their structure.
Snapshot A year:
Snapshot B year:
Describe 2–3 structural differences (layout, navigation, template):
Differences:
5. Determine Drift Level#
Choose the drift level between the two snapshots:
- none
- minor
- moderate
- high
Drift level:
Reason:
6. Identify the Continuity Kernel#
Look across all snapshots and list elements that stayed the same.
Examples: header, footer, menu, index.
Continuity kernel elements:
7. Check Substrate Stability (PRESERVATION_OPERATOR)#
Identify the formats you saw:
- HTML
- Image
- OCR
- Mixed
Formats observed:
Most stable format:
Reason:
8. Find the Most Reliable Version (DRIFTBOUND_RETRIEVAL_OPERATOR)#
Use drift, continuity, and substrate stability to choose the most reliable snapshot.
Most reliable snapshot year:
Explanation (2–3 sentences):
9. Reflection#
Write a short paragraph:
What surprised you most about how webpages change over time?
10. Optional Challenge#
Choose a second webpage and repeat Steps 3–8.
Then compare the two:
Which webpage had more drift?
Which webpage had a more stable history?