Abstract: In recent years, the term "Digital Archives" frequently appears in archival academic works. What are the connections and differences among the electronic records, archival electronic records and digital archives? In this paper, the three concepts are discriminated. The author analyses the connotation, extension and research content of the three concepts , and compares them,and points out that the three concepts are the same in the formers,existing form,storage carrier and relying environment , but are different in connotation, extension and research content.

Key words: Electronic records;archival electronic records , digital archives