This study describes a content analysis of archival MARC records conducted to detect the presence or absence of topical subject and form/genre terms taken from each collection's finding aid. The analysis measures the extent to which some archivists adapt information from finding aids for input into MARC records. Archival standards are discussed, as well as problems found to impede the process of manuscript cataloging using MARC. A sampling of topical subject and all form/genre terms were taken from twenty finding aids. After a search of the corresponding MARC records, less than half of the chosen topical terms were found. Additionally, only 43% of the form/genre terms were found in corresponding MARC records, suggesting that cataloging practice is not representing this information from finding aids well.