Records are also produced because of societal customs and traditions.
Document forms have been around for a long time, and the forms not only mirror
the functions they are meant to perform but they also reflect social
conventions and traditions. There are events dictating the creation of a
document, if one is to be socially responsible. The death of a friend, for
example, requires the writing of a
letter of condolence, even if today we might scribble the letter in to a
prepackaged greeting card or send in via electronic mail, short-hand approaches
indicating that the societal customs and traditions are always evolving, even
if slowly. Every document we examine, from a letter to a check or receipt to
various legal forms, are the result of generations and even centuries of
development. We instantly recognize the intent of a document by its form. […]
Even if we cannot read the language of the document, we can usually guess its
purpose (if not its specifics) by the form and structure of the information.
COX, J. Richard. Personal
archives and a new achival calling. redings, reflections and ruminations.
Duluth, Minnesota: Litwin Books, LLC, 2008, p. 140
