This thesis analyses the challenges of applying the so-called documentation strategy in evaluating archival materials, from the first presentation of this approach to the archival community, through criticism to the possible improvements of this strategy in the future. In the first part of this thesis the issues in appraisal of archival material that documentation strategy is trying to give an answer to are defined and a way to approach those issues are presented. The first part is followed by a brief overview of the origins of the documentation strategy, as a tool for archival appraisal and acquisition policies, and an overview of how evaluation projects are conceived. The second part of the thesis discusses views of the archival community towards the documentation strategy, both of those who advocated in favour of the strategy, and those who found serious objections to its use. The final part of the thesis brings carefully chosen examples from the archival practice and show both sides of using the documentation strategy. The aim of this thesis is to show the various positive and negative sides of using the documentation strategy in preservation of archival materials. This thesis aims at helping future archivists in devising a new method of appraising archival material.