SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLC SAFETY

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
FRSCST4

A Self-regulated Learning Module 1

 MODULE CONTENTS

MODULE LESSON PAGE

Module 1 FIRST GRADING LESSONS 6

1. Definition of terms
2. Kinds of documents
3. Kinds of writing
4. The basic systems of writing
5. Early forms of writing
6. Kinds of muscle that function when a person writes
7. Movements in writing
8. Left-handedness
9. Calligraphic terms
10. Technical terms in handwriting analysis
11. General classifications of handwriting characteristics
12. Classifications of individual characteristics
13. Types of handwriting "standards"
14. Factors to consider in gathering standards

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 INTRODUCTION OF THE MODULE

Course Code : FRSCST4

Course This course was given the course description “Questioned Document
description
Examination.” This course is composed of three (3) modules with sub-lessons.
Each module is provided with its specific objectives, the lessons proper, assessment
questions to be answered after reading each module, and references. Additional
instructions may be given by the subject facilitator.

Requirements 1. Compiled answers to all the assessment questions of the modules of

the course.
2. Essays
3. Quizzes
4. Assignments
5. Major examinations

Facilitator Ms. Priscilla Joy S. Terpaken

Official Email: [email protected]

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 MODULE 1

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, the student shall be able to:

1. Familiarize the class and individual characteristics;
2. easily recognize handwriting characteristics;
3. familiarize documents with altered handwriting; and
4. conduct basic handwriting examination through comparison.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. DOCUMENT refers to any material containing marks, signs or symbols either visible, partially visible
or invisible which furnish or convey information, meaning or message to a person. It is any written
statement by which a right is established or an obligation is extinguished (People vs. Morena, CA,
38 O.G. 119).

The term document came from the Latin word “documentum”, which means “lesson, or
example.” It was derived also from the French word “docere”, which means to teach.

2. QUESTIONED DOCUMENT is any document in which contents appearing therein are questionable,
seemingly untrue, or contested either in whole or in part with respect to their authenticity, identity or
origin.

3. QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS EXAMINATION refers to the scientific process of investigating

questioned/disputed documents. It includes the scrutiny of the writing materials and instrument
used, ink, handwriting and other marks that may affect the authenticity of the document.

4. HOLOGRAPH DOCUMENT is any document which was completely handwritten and signed by one
person. In a number of jurisdictions, a holographic will can be probated without anyone having
witnessed its execution.

5. DOCUMENT EXAMINER refers to a personnel of crime laboratory who specialized in document

examination. The examiner is responsible in Handwriting Identification and is capable of more than
just questions of authorship limited only by their access to laboratory equipment. The old term for
this was Handwriting Expert.

6. FRAUD INVESTIGATOR is a person who focuses on the money trail and criminal intent of the
person using the document being questioned.

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7. PAPER AND INK SPECIALIST refers to a person who has expertise on date, type, source, and/or
catalogue various types of paper watermarks, ink, printing/copy/fax machines computer cartridges,
etc. using chemical methods.

8. FORGERY SPECIALIST is a person who analyses altered, obliterated, changed, or doctored

documents and photos using infrared lighting, expensive spectography equipment, or digital
enhancement techniques.

9. TYPEWRITING ANALYST is a person who is expert on the origin, make and model of typewriters
and documents produced from it.

10. HANDWRITING is the result of a very complicated series of acts treated as a whole, a combination
of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long painstaking effort.
Handwriting is sometimes called BRAINWRITING.

11. GRAPHOLOGY is the study and analysis of handwriting to assess the writer's traits or personality.
Graphologist or Grapho-analyst examines handwritings and tells the personality of a person
based from handwriting characteristics.

12. BIBLIOTICS is the study of documents and writing materials to determine their genuineness or
authorship.

13. PALEOGRAPHY is the study of ancient writing that is concerned with inscription on stone, clay
tablets, bone, metal, bamboo strips and other surfaces. This came from the Greek term “Palaios”
which means Old Writings.

14. STROKE refers to lines that form a character.

15. CHARACTER as used in questioned document examination, refers to letters, numbers,

punctuations, symbols, and ornaments.

LEGAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF DOCUMENTS

a. PUBLIC DOCUMENTS are those documents that are notarized by a notary public or competent
public official with solemnities required by law (Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil. 742). Some examples of
public documents are the following:
1.
2. NBI clearance
3. Police clearance
4. Lot title
5. PSA issued certificates (birth, death, CeNoMar, Marriage)
6. All pleadings filed with the court
7. Official Transcript of records (TOR)
8. Receipt of money for public purposes
9. Census reports

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 10. Voting records
11. Government financial records
12. Licensing records

b. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS –are instrument issued by the government or its agents or its officers
having the authority to do so and the offices, which in accordance with their creation, they are
authorized to issue and be issued in the performance of their duties (US vs. Asensi, supra). Some
examples of official documents are the following:
1. PSA issued certificates (birth, death, CeNoMar, Marriage)
2. Community Tax Certificate (or cedula) 3. Summons 4.

c. PRIVATE DOCUMENTS are deeds or instruments executed by a private person without the
intervention of a notary public or other persons legally authorized, and which proves same
disposition or agreement as evidenced or set forth therein. (US vs. Orera, 11 Phil 596). Some
examples of private documents are the following:
1. Cash disbursement vouchers
2. Journals
3. Diary
4. Affidavit
5. Love letter
6. Theater ticket
7. Promissory note
8. Passport
9. Contracts
10. Investigative files
11. Bank records
12. Credit investigations
13. Intelligence reports

d. COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS are documents that are regulated by the Code of Commerce and
mercantile law. These documents are those that (People vs. Co Beng, CA., 40 O.G. 1913) or any
other commercial law. Some examples of official documents are the following:
1. Business permit
2. Official receipt issued by BIR
3. International import certificate
4. OR clearance
5. Insurance policy
6. Sales contract
7. Commercial invoice
8. Insurance certificate

KINDS OF WRITING

a. SCRIPT (also known as manuscript or functional writing) - is any disconnected style of writing
or junction broken. This is being learned by school children who are just beginning to write. When
a person expresses his/her own idea into writing.

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Illustration:

b. CURSIVE (also known as conventional or running writing) - most parts are joined together by
a junction connection. It is used by most adults. This is used when script/manuscript writing is
mastered.

Illustration:

c. BLOCK (also known as printed writing) is characterized by all capital or uppercase letters. This
originates from the Japanese.

Illustration:

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THE BASIC SYSTEMS OF WRITING

a. LOGOGRAPHIC SYSTEM – A system of writing that involves pictures or logos in constructing

words, believed to be the first system of writing which was very difficult to learn and write and
can give relatively few pronunciation clues. Simply, every picture/symbol represents an idea.

Illustration:

b. SYLLABARY SYSTEM – A system of writing which was developed by a Japanese Cherokee

Sequoya. This ancient system of writing was first used in writing and recording his native
language.

Illustration:

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 c. ALPHABETIC SYSTEM – This is the system of writing considered to be the most difficult to
invent but very easy to use. This alphabetic system was invented by the SEMETIC People at
about 1500 BC, The PHOENICIANS developed the alphabet further. The GREEK took it over
from the Phoenicians, and the ROMANS borrowed it from the Greeks and have it well-developed
until it was spread out entire the world.

Illustration (Filipino Alphabet and their pronunciation)

EARLY FORMS OF WRITING

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1. CRUDE WRITING – prehistoric people drew pictures of wild animals on the walls of caves and rock
shelters that tell the story of how they hunted for food.

2. The Sumerians invented a system of writing that used wedged-shaped symbols called
CUNEIFORM.

Illustration of Macedonian Cuneiform:

3. SCRIBES are people who are knowledgeable in writing. They offer service to people who would
want to send letters to others. They make this service as a way of living.

4. ROMANS refers to the in printing, it refers to straight up-and-down letters.

5. ITALIC – a term used by printers that refers to the slanted style of letters similar to those used in
cursive writing.

KINDS OF MUSCLES THAT FUNCTION DURING WRITING

a. EXTENSOR MUSCLES are those muscles that function when the pen forms the upward strokes.

b. FLEXOR MUSCLES are those that function when the pen forms the downward strokes.

c. BICEP/ LUMBRICAL MUSCLES are those that function when the pen performs horizontal/across
strokes.

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 Illustration:

MOVEMENTS IN WRITING

a. FINGER MOVEMENT – the letters are made entirely by the action of the thumb, the index and
middle fingers. Such is found among children, illiterates and those to whom writing is an unfamiliar
process.

b. HAND MOVEMENT – the letters are produced by the action of the whole hand with the wrist as the
center of action and with some actions of the fingers.

c. ARM MOVEMENT – the movement in writing is made by the hand and arm supported with the
elbow of the center of the lateral swing.

d. WHOLE ARM MOVEMENT – the action is produced by the entire arm without any rest. The
source of motion is the shoulder. Writing on a blackboard is a good example.

LEFT-HANDEDNESS

1. About 10% of all people are left-handed.

2. When a left-handed person begin to write manuscript, they may need special help from others.

3. A left-handed child should hold the pencil so that the fingers are at least 1 inch (2.5 Centimeters)
from the nib/point. This will give the child a better view of the paper while writing.

4. Ambidextrous – the term that refers the situation when a person is able to use the right and the left
hand with equal skills in writing. It came from the Latin word “dexter” which means “right-handed”
and from its old Latin term “ambidexter” which means “right-handed on both sides.” The letters w,
h, e, g, k, q are considered difficult letters to be written by beginners based on survey.

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CALLIGRAPHIC TERMS

1. ASCENDER LINE – refers to the line on top of a capital letter. This is located just above the
waistline. All letters that reach the ascender line are called ascending letters.

2. DESCENDER LINE – refers to the line that is found below just below the baseline. All letters
that go down to the descender line are called descending letters.

3. BASE LINE (or WRITING LINE) – refers to the writing line that the body of the letter sits upon.

4. WAISTLINE – refers to the guideline showing the correct position for the upper boundary of the
x-height.

5. X-HEIGHT – refers to the height of the letter between the baseline and the waistline. It also refers
to the height of the lowercase letters particularly the vowels.

6. CAP LINE or CAP-HEIGHT – refers to the height of the capital or uppercase letters.

7. DROP CAP – an oversized capital letter used to start a paragraph.

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8. LIGATURE – refers to characters that combine or connect. For instance, letter A combines with
E, following (ff); street (st.). Ligature can be standard and personalized. A writer can be known
based on personalized ligature.

9. COUNTER – the space inside the loops of selected letters.

Illustration:

10. NIB – refers to the pen point.

11. PEN ANGLE – refers to the angle at which the nib meets the paper relative to the baseline.

12. SERIF – a small stroke that begins or ends a letter.

13. STEM (Also known as Staff, Trunk, or Stalk) – the foundation of every character.

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 14. BRACKET – is a form of letter beautification that is usually found in aesthetically printing
characters.

15. SLANT – refers to the slope of a letter. The 3 kinds are slant to the right, left and vertical slant.

16. BRANCHING STROKE / JUNCTION CONNECTION – refers to the stroke which connects the
arch to the down stroke of a letter.

17. FLOURISH – a non-structural embellishment (beautification) added to a letter.

18. SLANT LINE – refers to the guideline showing the correct slant.

19. CROSS BAR – refers to the horizontal stroke to complete letters t, and H.

20. HAIRLINE – lines that forms every character which are very thin.

TECHNICAL TERMS IN HANDWRITING ANALYSIS

1. STARTING / INITIAL STROKE – any beginning stroke of any letter. This is sometimes called
BEARD as initial up stroke.

2. ENDING / TERMINAL STROKE - any ending stroke of a letter.

3. BODY - The main portion of the letter, minus the initial strokes, terminal strokes and diacritic in any
letter.

4. DIACRITICS – refer to the "t" crossing and dots of the letter "i" & "j". These are elements added to
complete certain letters. It could also be a mark above or below a printed letter that indicates a
change in the way it is to be pronounced or stressed. Acute and grave accents, tilde(~), and cedillas
(ç an ş) are examples of diacritics.

5. CACOGRAPHY – came from Greek word “kakkographia” which means “ugly writing.”

6. CALLIGRAPHY – came from Greek term kalligraphia which means “beautiful writing.” Kalligraphia
came from kallos="beauty" and graphein="write“.

7. FOOT / FEET – the lower part of the letter which rest on the base line. The small letter "m" has
three feet, and the small letter "n" has two feet.

8. SHOULDERS – the two side out portion of the top curve of selected letters such as but not limited
to letters m, n, and h.

9. HUMP – the top outside portion of letters m, n, & h the rounded outside or top of the bend stroke or
curve in small letter.

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10. ARCADE – refers to the inside curve portion of selected characters.

11. HABIT - any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize writing. It is how a
certain letter is written repeatedly.

12. HESITATION - the term applied to the irregular thickening of ink which is found when writing slows
down or stop while the pen take a stock of the position.

13. HOOK - It is a minute curve or an ankle which often occurs at the beginning or ending of strokes.
The terminal curves of the letters "a", "d", "n", "m", "p", "u", is the hook. In small letter "w" the initial
curve is the hook.

14. LOOP - An oblong curve such as found on the small letter "f", "g", "l" and letters stroke "f". A
loop may be blind or open. A blind loop is usually the result of the ink having filled the open space.

15. EYELET / EYELOOP - a small loop or curve formed inside the letters. This may occur inside the
oval of the letters "a, d, o"; the small loop form by stroke that extend in divergent direction as in small
letters.

16. COUNTER – the space which is enclosed or delimited that may be found in letters O, P, Q, D, C, F
and other letters.

17. BUCKLE / BUCKLE KNOT - a loop made as a flourish which is added to the letters, as in small
letters "k, b & p or in capital letters "A", "K.”

18. MAJUSCULE - a capitalized letter or letter which is printed in block form (uppercase letter).

19. MINUSCULE - a small letter (or lowercase letter).

20. PATCHING – the act of the writer of going back to repair or fix a defective line/stroke of a written
character.

21. RETRACING or RETOUCHING - Any part of the stroke which is superimposed or highlighted.

22. HIATUS or PEN JUMP - a gap occurring between a continuous stroke without lifting the pen. Such
as occurrence usually occurs due to speed; may be regarded also as a special form of pen lift
distinguish in a ball gaps in that of perceptible gaps and appear in the writing.

23. PEN LIFT - an act of interruption (cut) of the writer in a stroke caused by removing or lifting the
writing instrument (pen) from the paper.

24. TREMOR - a writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes that is found in handwriting of
a person.

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25. RHYTHM – the harmonious appearance of characters, concerning its general style and appearance.
Such style or design of letters if found to be consistently used, there is rhythm in writing.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF HANDWRITING CHRACTERISTICS

1. CLASS / GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS – refers to the general design of letters and figures that
can be found to handwritings people who learned the same type of writing systems.

2. INDIVIDUAL / PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS – refers to the personal design of letters and

figures by a person that cannot be found to others’ handwriting.

The Qwerty Keyboard below contains almost all characters:

CLASSIFICATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. PERMANENT - this characteristic can be found always in handwriting of a person.

2. COMMON / USUAL - this characteristic can be found in a group of writers who studied the same
system of writing. Example: Stenography.

3. OCCASIONAL - this characteristic is only found occasionally in one’s handwriting. This is unique
stroke that makes the writer different from others.

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4. RARE - this characteristic is special to the writer and perhaps found only in one or two persons in a
group of 100 individuals.

TYPES OF STANDARDS

1. COLLECTED / PROCURED STANDARDS refers to writings of a person written in the course of

daily life such as signatures in legal documents, signatures on canceled checks, handwritings in
school notebooks, formal letters, commercial/ official/ public and private document and other
handwritings.

2. REQUESTED / DICTATED STANDARDS are signatures or handwritings (or hand printings) written
by an individual upon request for the purpose of comparison with other handwriting. This is known
in its Latin term as “post litem motan” Standards.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN GATHERING STANDARDS

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The Amount of Standard Needed
− At least 8 signatures
− At least 4-5 pages of natural handwriting

Similarity of Subject Matter

− Consider all in determining similarity. As to style or kind of handwriting, as to paper and instrument
used in writing, as to the different strokes used.

Relative Dates of the questioned and the standards writing standard signatures or writing must
be those written five (5) years before or five (5) after the date of the questioned signature or writing.
The ideal standards are those before, on and after the date of the questioned writing. The interval of
years between the questioned and standards should not exceed more than five years.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS FOR MODULE 1 (FIRST GRADING)

1. How do you define class and individual characteristics? Give examples for each.
2. What are the factors to be considered in easily recognizing handwriting characteristics? Can the
skills be acquired through seminars and schoolings? Can a civilian who is familiar with the
techniques be allowed by the court to testify in a criminal case?
3. When can you say that a document is altered? Explain the possibilities and how it is dealt with by
the examiner.
4. How is the conduct of handwriting examination through comparison? What are the equipment
needed? What are the characteristics of that can be revealed by the machine?

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