An authoritative record has which of the following characteristics?

According to the international standard for records management, ISO 15489-1, an authoritative record must possess four key characteristics. These are Authenticity (it is what it purports to be), Reliability (it can be trusted as a full and accurate representation), Integrity (it is complete and unaltered), and Usability (it can be located, retrieved, presented, and interpreted). These four attributes ensure that a record can be trusted and used as evidence of business transactions. Option A is the only one that lists all four of these internationally recognized characteristics.

B. Auditability and Accuracy are aspects of reliability and integrity but are not the primary, distinct characteristics defined by the standard.
C. Trustworthiness and Dependability are synonyms for reliability, and Consistency is an aspect of integrity, making this option redundant and incomplete.
D. Accuracy and Consistency are components of the core characteristics but do not represent the complete, foundational set as defined by ISO 15489.

1. ISO 15489-1:2016. (2016). Information and documentation — Records management — Part 1: Concepts and principles. International Organization for Standardization. Section 5.2, "Characteristics of authoritative records," explicitly states, "To be authoritative, records shall possess the characteristics of reliability, authenticity, integrity and usability."

2. University of British Columbia. (n.d.). Glossary of Records Management Terms. Records Management Office. Retrieved from https://records.ubc.ca/resources/glossary-of-records-management-terms/. Defines an authoritative record by citing the four characteristics from ISO 15489: authenticity, reliability, integrity, and usability.