Full title: “The Way We Do It Here”: Mapping Digital Forensics Workflows in Collecting Institutions
Author: Martin J. Gengenbach
Year: 2012
Work type: Master's paper, Library and Information Science
Persistent identifier reported by the author's research profile: DOI: 10.17615/2X9G-7E66
Former DCE file path: https://digitalcurationexchange.org/system/files/gengenbach-forensic-workflows-2012.pdf
This is a bibliographic and historical access record, not a republication of the original paper. TwoSquares is neither the author nor the awarding institution and does not claim copyright in the work.
What the study investigated
The paper examined how archivists and curators incorporated digital forensics into workflows for receiving and managing born-digital collections. As described by a historical BitCurator post, it drew on semi-structured interviews and explored the tools being used, their role in institutional processes and the problems professionals encountered.
The contemporary summary indicates that forensic methods had value for capturing and preserving information from media such as external hard drives and optical or floppy disks. It also identified a disconnect: technical metadata generated by forensic tools does not automatically become the descriptive structure that archivists need for arrangement and user access.
Why this remains a useful research reference
A modern archive can create an exact disk image yet still need to make difficult decisions about privacy, appraisal, description and the usability of digital records. Gengenbach's work is useful historical evidence of how institutions were adapting forensic ideas to those broader duties.
Our original digital forensics workflows guide develops those questions into a practical workflow. It should not be mistaken for a summary of every finding in the original master's paper.
Where to find an authoritative source
- DOI landing page for the scholarly work, as identified in the author's ORCID publication list.
- BitCurator historical post and research reference.
- Library of Congress-hosted 2014 presentation on the same research topic. This is a later presentation, not a substitute for the 2012 master's paper.
The former DCE PDF path has not been independently confirmed to contain a currently authorised, byte-identical copy available for republishing. If an authorised copy is obtained, this record can be extended with precise edition, file size, fixity and licence information.
Citation guidance
Cite the author, title, year and persistent identifier from the authoritative repository. Do not cite TwoSquares as the author of the research. If an academic style requires the degree-awarding institution, confirm it against the repository record before finalising the citation.
Related: Research library | Digital Curation Exchange history | File integrity and metadata