MODULE 1

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Overview

This module presents the historical development of questioned document examination. It is necessary
for future document examiner to familiar themselves to the various trends and development in
questioned document examination. To better understand, it is divided into:

Lesson 1.1. History of documents

Lesson 1.2. Personalities in questioned documents examination
Lesson 1.3. World's cases on disputed document
Lesson 1.4. The importance of documents
Lesson 1.5. General definition of terms
Lesson 1.6. Legal aspect of documents

Module 1 - Pretest

Multiple Choice: Choose the best or nearest answer by encircling the letter of your choice.

1. Which of the following are the first invented by the Chinese more than 2,000 years ago but it was not
common in other countries for a long time?

A. Ink

B. Paper

C. Pencil

D. Computer

2. It is one of a greatest publishing fraud which was first legitimized and then exposed by scientific
analysis. A. Hitler Diaries case

B. John Magnuson case

C. Arthur Perry Case

D. Graham Backhouse case

3. It record man's life.

A. Birth certificate

C. Documents

D. Biodata B. Death certificate

4. It is the French word for document.

A. Documentatum

B. Documentum

C. Documente

D. Docere

5. Refers to the will entirely written in the handwriting of the testator.

A. Notarial will

B. Holographic will
C. Drying declaration

D. Last will testament

LESSON 1.1

HISTORY OF DOCUMENTS

From the very earliest time, man has put down marks on different materials to make forms of writing
were simple pictures on the walls of caves. Man soon found he could not express all of his thoughts by
means of pictures so systems of writing were developed. Early writings were on stones and metal. Later
skins of animals were used. Paper was first invented by the Chinese more than 2,000 years ago but it was
not common in other countries for a long time. With the making of paper, writing became more
common to many people. Criminalistics were quick to learn that it was profitable to make false
documents. Knowledge of the methods of making false document is therefore necessary to the police
investigator. The examination of questioned document falls into broad classes.

LESSON 1.2

PERSONALITIES IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS EXAMINATION

1. Albert Sherman Osborn-He was considered as a Father of Scientific Examination of Questioned

Document. The first American prominent in the field of forgery detection, and author of the seminal
"Questioned Documents" (1910, reprinted many times), an exhaustive work indispensable even today.
By his efforts, courts began to accept the presentation of forged documents as scientific evidence. He
founded the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners on 2 September 1942.

2. Albert D. Osborn - He was the third President of the American Society of Questioned Document
Examiners. Mr. Osborn served in the military during World War I. Upon returning from overseas in 1919,
he began attending the meetings that eventually led to the formation of the ASQDE. In 1942, Mr. Osborn
was one of the 15 men who founded the Society. He was the son of the founding president of the
ASQDE, Albert S. Osborn, and was associated with A. S. Osborn in private practice for many years. A. D.
Osborn's sons, Paul Osborn and Russell Osborn, both became examiners of questioned documents, as
did his grandson John P. Osborn. Among Mr. Osborn's many high profile cases, he was one of eight
document examiners who testified for the prosecution in the case against Bruno Hauptmann in the
kidnapping/murder of the Lindbergh baby. Mr. Osborn was coauthor of the book Questioned Document
Problems with his father. He was also the author of many professional papers.

3. B.J. Vreeland Haring and J. Howard Haring - The father and son Haring of New York were the word
famous handwriting experts who testified on Charles A. Lindberg Jr. Kidnapping case. The defendant to
the case was Bruno Richard Hauptmann Flemington, New Jersey in 1935. Fourteen letters were directed
to the famous parents of the kidnapped Lindberg baby was abducted. The other letters contained follow-
up ransom demands and instructions.

4. J. Newton Baker- a Consultative Expert in Disputed document and in 1955 he authored the book,
"Law of Disputed and forged documents".

5. James V. P. Conway was an Examiner of Questioned Documents of San Francisco, California Postal
Inspector in charge San Francisco Identification Laboratory U.S. Postal Inspection Service and authored
"Evidential Documents" which was published in Springfield, Illinois, USA in 1959.

6. Hans Scheickert (1876-1944) - A Doctor of Law and Director of the identification Bureau of the Police
Department of Berlin until 1928. He was a Criminology Professor at the University of Berlin in 1920 and a
well-known handwriting expert.

7. Dr. Wilson R. Harrison was the Director of the British Government's Office Home Office Forensic
Science Society of Questioned Document Examiners. He authored the book "Suspect Document
Examiners Their Scientific Examination", first published in London in 1958. He had over twenty years
experience in the examination of suspect documents for the police forces of England and Wale and for
many government departments.
 8. Ordway Hilton was the sixth president of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners.
Mr. Hilton was born in 1913 and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. He majored in mathematics at
Northwestern University and received a master's degree in statistics from the same university in 1937.
Mr. Hilton was the first questioned document examiner in the then new crime laboratory of the Chicago
Police Department. In 1944, while still on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II,
he attended the second meeting of the ASQDE in the Montclair, New Jersey, home of Albert S. Osborn. In
1946, Mr. Hilton became associated with Elbridge Stein, the first secretary of the ASQDE, in his private
practice in New York City. He continued the practice alone when Mr. Stein retired in 1951. In 1979, Mr.
Hilton moved his practice to Landrum, South Carolina. A prolific writer of journal articles and
professional papers, Mr. Hilton authored one of the best-known texts in the field, "Scientific
Examination of Questioned Documents", in 1956, and a revised edition of the text in 1982. He also
authored Detecting and Deciphering Erased Pencil Writing. Mr. Hilton was a Diplomat of the American
Board of Forensic Document Examiners. He was instrumental in establishing the Questioned Documents
Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). From 1959 to 1960, Mr. Hilton served as
the tenth president of the AAFS. He is one of the few AAFS Fellows to be named a Distinguished Fellow
and one of only four questioned document examiners to ever receive this honor. In 1980, he was the first
recipient of the AAFS Questioned Documents Section Award, which would be named in his honor.
Ordway Hilton passed away in 1998.

9. Roy A. Huber was the 24th President of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners.
After joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1940, Roy Huber worked as a police
constable at various detachments in the Province of Saskatchewan. In 1949, he transferred to the
Document Section of the RCMP's Regina Laboratory to commence a career that would span more than
fifty years. Under the tutelage of senior document examiners Hugh Radcliffe and Chester Eaves, Mr.
Huber completed his training program and moved to the RCMP's eastern laboratory in Ottawa. He wrote
and presented more than 30 papers including such titles as Typist Identification, Modern Trends in
Counterfeiting, The Production and Identification of Embossing Seals, and The Quandary of "Qualified"
Opinions. In 1999, he published a book entitled "Handwriting Identification - Facts and Fundamentals,"
which has become an important text in the training of forensic document examiners. The first ASQDE
conference he attended was the 1955 meeting that was held in Houston. He presented his first ASQDE
paper titled, The Potentialities of the Blink Microscope Principle in Typewriting Comparisons. Mr. Huber
joined the Society as a Provisional Member in 1961 and was elected a Regular Member in 1964. For over
40 years, he regularly attended ASQDE annual conferences and missed only two meetings for reasons
beyond his control. He served on its Board of Directors as Secretary and Vice President prior to his
election to President. Elected a Life Member in 2001, he continued to support the Society as a member
of its Nominating and Journal Committees. In 2003, Roy Huber received the Albert S. Osborn Award of
Excellence in recognition of his distinguished career and many contributions he made to both the ASQDE
and the profession as a whole.

10. Charles Chabot (baptized 19 March 1815 - 15 October 1882) was an English graphologist who, as
part of the firm of Netherclift, Chabot and Matheson, was an early practitioner of questioned document
examination. Chabot was born Battersea, the son of Charles, a lithographer, and Amy née Pearson, a
couple of Hugenot descent. Beginning as a lithographer, he developed as an expert in handwriting and
became sought after as an expert witness in a variety of famous trials including the Roupell case and the
Tichborne Case. In 1871, Chabot became involved in establishing the identity of Junius and concluded
that he was Sir Philip Francis.

LESSON 1.3

WORLD'S CASES ON DISPUTED DOCUMENT

Colin Evans cited the world's cases on disputed document are as follows:

1. John Magnuson case: Date 1922; Location: Marshfield, Misconsin; Significance: From just a few scraps
of bomb-damaged paper, investigator gleaned enough evidence to capture the Yule Bomb Killer. In his
final address, Magnuson's attorney, Charles Briere, fulminated against the "so- called experts" who had
examined the scraps of the bomb, sneering that "half of them were here today. for their share of the
gold bag of the state." It was a complaint about expert witness that echoes in courtrooms to the present

2. Arthur Perry case: Date: 1937; Location: New York City; Significance: So many factors were combined
in this case that it has come to be regarded as an American detection classic. It is unnerving to consider
the possible outcome of this case had Palm not happened to work late that night. Without the twin
interventions of fate and forensic science, it is entirely conceivable that he may well have taken Perry's
place in the electric chair.

3. Hitler Diaries case: Date: 1981; Location: Hamburg, West Germany; Significance: History's greatest
publishing fraud was first legitimized and then exposed by scientific analysis. In all, through outright
swindle, royalties, fees, lost advertising, and sundry other commitments, the Hitler Diaries were
estimated to have cost Stern more than twenty million marks (sixteen million dollars). The cost in
careers, reputations, and personal humiliation was incalculable.

4. Graham Backhouse case: Date 1984; Location: Horton, England; Significance: This case provides an
example of the interdependence of forensic discipline that helps to solve so many cases. Piece by piece,
the magnitude of Backhouse's fiendishness became apparent. In early March, he had increased the
insurance on Margaret's life from fifty to a hundred thousand pounds, waited a few weeks while
spreading word of a nonexistent hate campaign, then planted the bomb that so nearly killed her. When
that attempt failed, and to divert suspicion from himself, he had lured Bedale-Taylor to his house with
the intention of killing him. The seriousness of his self inflicted wounds almost fooled the authorities, but
he had underestimated the astonishing scope of modern forensic detection. On February 18, 1985,
Backhouse learned the price he would have to pay for that arrogance-two term of life imprisonment.

LESSON 1.4

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTS

Documents record man's life. Officially, his birth certificate signal's mans' existence on earth.
Corollary, thereto, his death certificate writes finish to his stay on earth. However, it is not uncommon to
note documents other than these two indicating man's birth and death. Long before a child's birth, we
may find an intimate note between Mr. And Mrs. De la Cruz planning to name the first born as a "Junior
or say "Marikit". The memo from Mrs. Cruz she had started conceiving her subsequent pre-natal check
up with the doctor; the hospital's certification of the delivery of a boy or girl de la Cruz, all these
proceeds the issuance of the birth certificate, yet are poignant examples of the finds or man's repose.
The last will and testament, the obituary, the tombstone with the inscription’s epitaphs, all those are
documents testifying to his death.

Man's life does not center alone on his birth nor on his death. The intervening period opens for
us more documents, reams of them. Take the doctor's notes on the mother's postnatal visits with the
child, the first inoculation, subsequent ones with the reams of papers; notebooks, books report, cards,
excuse slips, followed by an array of diplomas from kindergarten, primary, elementary, high school,
college and perhaps post graduate courses. While studying, the more serious love notes and not too far
behind the better proposing marriage and finally the inking of the marriage bond via the marriage
contract and certificate. This brings us back to where we started. The conception, pre-natal visits and
birth of a new generation.

Again, life is not all schooling nor marriage. Man must find work to feed his family. Thus, we find
him filling up applications for employment. He is accepted by a company, swears him in and he receives
his appointment papers. At the end of every week or every fifteenth and thirtieth of the month, man
signs the payroll and receives his paycheck or cash as the case maybe. The longer he stays the more the
payrolls and pay checks. He goes up the ladder of success and the more papers and documents he
encounters. His membership in the Lions or the Jaycees or the Kiwanis or the Knights of Columbus or the
Freemasonry must be accomplished. He must sign this and that communication paper. As he grows
older, he comes across his retirement papers and receives his pension checks. As the shadows of life
finally set upon man, the final document testifying to his demises is the death certificate. These, in a
nutshell amplify the importance of documents in man's life.
General Definition of Terms

A. Document. Any material containing marks, symbols, or signs either visible, partially visible that may
present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone, maybe in the form of pencil, ink writing,
typewriting, or printing on paper.

The term "document" applies to writings; to words printed, lithographed, or photographed; to maps or
plans; to seals, plates, or even stones on which inscriptions are cut or engraved. In to plural form,
"documents" may mean; deeds, agreements, title, letters, receipts, and other written instruments used
to prove a fact.

 Latin word "documentum", means "lesson, or example (in Medieval Latin "instruction, or official
paper"), OR
 French word "docere", means to teach.

According to Microsoft Encarta Reference Library (as a noun):

1. formal piece of writing

2. object containing information
3. computer file

As a verb, Microsoft Encarta gives the following definition:

1. record information in or on media

2. support a claim with evidence

B. Questioned. Any material which some issue has been raised or which is under scrutiny.

C. Questioned document. One in which the facts appearing therein may not be true, and are contested
either in whole or part with respect to its authenticity, identity, or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will,
election ballots, marriage contract, check, visas, application form, check writer, certificates, etc.

D. Disputed document. A term suggesting that there is an argument or controversy over the document,
and strictly speaking this is true meaning. In this text, as well as through prior usage, however, "disputed
document" and "questioned document" are used interchangeably to signify a document that is under
special scrutiny.

E. Standard (Standard Document) - Are condensed and compact set of authentic specimens which, if
adequate and proper, should contain a cross section of the material from a known source. "Standard" in
questioned documents investigation, we mean those things whose origins are known and can be proven
and which can be legally used as examples to compare with other matters in question. Usually, a
standard consists of the known handwriting of a person such case, "standard" has the same meaning as
is understood by the word "specimen" of handwriting.

F. Exemplar. A term used by some document examiners and attorneys to characterize known material.
Standard is the older term.

G. Holographic Document. Any document completely written and signed by one person; also known as a
holograph. In a number of jurisdictions, a holographic will can be probated without anyone having
witnessed its execution.

H. Reference Collection. Material compiled and organized by the document examiner to assist him in
answering special questions. Reference collections of typewriting, check writing specimens, inks, pens,
pencils, and papers are frequently maintained.

LESSON 1.5

LEGAL ASPECT OF DOCUMENTS

A. LEGAL BASIS OF DOCUMENTS:

1. In the case of People vs. Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119: any written document by which a right is
established or an obligation is extinguished.
2. In the case of People vs. Nillosquin, CA, 48 O.G. 4453: every deed or instrument executed by person by
which some disposition or agreement is proved, evidenced or setforth.
3. In relation to Criminal Jurisprudence under the Best Evidence rule: any physical embodiment of
information or ideas; e.g. a letter, a contract, a receipt, a book of account, a blur print, or an X-ray plate
(Black's Law Dictionary).

B. KINDS OF DOCUMENT:

1. Public Document - notarized by a notary public or competent public official with solemnities required
by law. (Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil. 742)
2. Official Document - 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.
3. Private Document -executed by a private person without the intervention of a notary public or of any
person legally authorized, by which documents, some disposition or agreement is proved, evidenced or
set forth (US vs Orera, 11 Phil. 596).
4. Commercial Document - executed in accordance with the Code of Commerce or any Mercantile Law,
containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations.
5. Electronic Document (E-Document) - exist only in electronic form such as data stored on a computer,
network, back-up, archive or other storage media. Examples of documents subjects to e-discovery are e-
mails, instant message, e-calendars,, audio files, data on handheld devices, animation, metadata,
graphics, photographs, spreadsheets, websites, drawings and other types of digital data. (Governed by
RA 8792)

WRITINGS WHICH DO NOT CONSTITUTE DOCUMENTS - based on some Supreme Court Rulings.

1. A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper authority (People vs. Camacho,
44 Phil. 484).
2. Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of which are not filled up (People vs. Santiago, CA,
48 O.G. 4558).
3. Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition or agreement are not documents but are
mere merchandise (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945).

LESSON 1.6 CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

1. Documents with questioned signatures.

2. Questioned documents alleged to have been containing fraudulent alterations.
3. Questioned or disputed holographic wills.
a. Holographic Will - will entirely written in the handwriting of the testator
b. Notarial Will - signed by the testator acknowledge before a notary public with 3 witnesses.
4. Documents investigated on the question of typewriting.
a. with a view of ascertaining their source
b. with a view of ascertaining their date
c. with a view of determining whether or not they contain fraudulent alterations or substituted
pages.
5. Questioned documents on issues of their age or date.
6. Questioned documents on issues of materials used in their production.
7. Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that they identify some persons through
handwriting.
a. anonymous and disputed letters, and
b. superscriptions, registrations and miscellaneous writings.
Module 1 Post-Test
Multiple Choice: Choose the best answer by encircling the letter of your choice.
1. What country is considered to be the first in the invention of paper more than 2,000 years ago but it
was not common in other countries for a long time.
a. China c. US
b. Japan d. Philippines

2. He was considered as a Father of Scientific Examination of Questioned Document. The first American
prominent in the field of forgery detection, and author of the seminal "Questioned Documents"
a. James V. P. Conway c. Dr. Wilson R. Harrison
b. Albert Sherman Osborn d. Ordway

3. What is the Latin word of document?

a. docere c. doces tecum
b. Documentum d. duces documentum

4. A term suggesting that there is an argument or controversy over the document, and strictly speaking
this is true meaning.
a. Document c. Disputed Document
b. Questioned Document d. All of the above

5. Refers to any document completely written and signed by one person.

a. Standard c. Holographic Document
b. Exemplar d. Reference Collection

6. What is the law governing electronic documents?

a. R.A. No. 7892 c. R.A. No. 8792
b. R.A. No. 9278 d. R.A. No. 9344

7. What type of document when it is notarized by a notary public or competent public official with
solemnities required by law?
a. Public document
b. Official document
c. Private document
d. Commercial document

8. A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper authority is a:
a. Writing which do not constitute document
b. Writing which constitute document
c. Official Document
d. Public Document

9. What type of document when it is executed by a private person without the intervention of a notary
public or of any person legally authorized, by which documents, some disposition or agreement is
proved, evidenced or set forth.
a. Public document
b. Private document
c. Official document
d. Commercial document

10. Which of the following personalities was an Examiner of Questioned Documents of San Francisco,
California Postal Inspector in charge San Francisco Identification Laboratory U.S. Postal Inspection Service
and authored "Evidential Documents" which was published in Springfield, Illinois, USA in 1959.
a. Albert S. Osborn
b. Albert D. Osborn
c. Ordway Hilton
d. James V.P. Conway
 MODULE 2

DOCUMENT AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Overview

This module presents the various procedures in questioned document examination. Further, it discusses
the different division in questioned document examination and the basic requirements in document
examination as practice in our country. To better understand this module, it is divided into:

Lesson 2.1. Divisions of questioned document examination

Lesson 2.2. Basic requirement in questioned document examination
Lesson 2.3. Scientific method in questioned document examination
Lesson 2.4. Instruments and apparatus used in questioned document examinations
Lesson 2.5. Techniques in the examination of questioned documents
Lesson 2.6. Handling of documents and questioned documents

Module 2 – Pretest

Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer by encircling the corresponding letter of your choice.

1. A device where light comes from beneath or behind glass on document is placed.

a. Transmitted light gadget b. Ultra violet lamp

c. Infrared viewer d. Comparison microscope

2. This is usually used in the detection of counterfeited bills but can actually be used to detect security
features of qualified documents.

a. Transmitted light gadget b. Ultra violet lamp

c. Infrared viewer d. Comparison microscope

3. Primarily used to decipher writings in a charred document.

a. Transmitted light gadget b. Ultra violet lamp

c. Infrared viewer d. Comparison microscope

4. It is similar to that of the bullet comparison microscope.

a. Transmitted light gadget b. Ultra violet lamp

c. Infrared viewer d. Comparison microscope

5. It is used in the examination of masked or obliterated text, watermarks, visible fluorescence, paper
fluorescence and oblique illumination of indented writing and embossing.

a. Video Spectral Comparator b. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus

c. Infrared viewer d. Ultra violet lamp

6. This is work that often overlaps with that of the document examiner and focuses on the money trail
and criminal intent.

a. Fraud Investigator b. Paper & ink Specialist

c. Forgery Specialist d. Handwriting Analysts

7. These are public or private experts who date, type, source, and/or catalogue various types of paper,
watermarks, ink, printing/copy/fax machines, computer cartridges, etc., using chemical methods

a. Fraud Investigator b. Paper & ink Specialist

c. Forgery Specialist d. Handwriting Analysts

8. These are public or private experts who analyze altered, obliterated, changed, or doctored documents
and photos using infrared lighting, expensive spectrography equipment, or digital enhancement
techniques.

a. Fraud Investigator b. Paper & ink Specialist

c. Forgery Specialist d. Typewriting Analyst

9. These are usually psychology experts who assess personality traits from handwriting samples, also
called graphologists or graphanalysts.

a. Handwriting Analysts b. Paper & ink Specialist

c. Forgery Specialist d. Typewriting Analyst

10. These are experts on the origin, make, and model used in typewritten material

a. Handwriting Analysts b. Paper & ink Specialist

c. Forgery Specialist d. Typewriting Analyst

LESSON 2.1 DIVISIONS OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Technical Terms

1. ADDITION - Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may be referred to
as addition.

2. CONCLUSION - A scientific conclusion results form relating observed facts by logical, common- sense
reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws. The document examiner's conclusion, in legal
term is referred to as "opinion".

3. DOCUMENT EXAMINER. One who studies scientifically the details and elements of documents in
order to identify their source or to discover other facts concerning them. Document examiners are often
referred to as handwriting identification experts, but today the work has outgrown this latter title and
involves other problems than merely the examination of handwriting.

4. ERASURE - The removal of writings, typewriting or printing, from a document is an erasure. It maybe
accomplished by either of two means. A chemical eradication in which the writing is removed or
bleached by chemical agents (e.g. liquid ink eradicator); and an abrasive erasure is where the writing is
effaced by rubbing with a rubber eraser or scratching out with a knife or other sharp with implement.

5. EXAMINATION - It is the act of making a close and critical study of any material and with questioned
documents, it is the process necessary to discover the facts about them. Various types are undertaken,
including microscopic, visual photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra- red examination.

a. EXPERT WITNESS. A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his special
training or experience is permitted to express an opinion regarding the issue, or a certain aspect of the
issue, which is involved in a court action. His purpose is to interpret technical information in his
particular specialty in order to assist the court in administering justice. The document examiner testifies
in court as an expert witness.

6. INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION - The term "insertion" and "interlineations" include the addition of
writing and other material between lines or paragraphs or the addition of whole page to a document.

7. NON-IDENTITIFICATION (Non-identity) as used in this text it means that the source or authorship of
the compared questioned and standard specimens is different.

a. OBLITERATION - the blotting out or shearing over the writing to make the original invisible to
as an addition.
 b. OPINION. In legal language, it refers to the document Examiner's conclusion. Actually in
Court, he not only expresses an opinion but demonstrates the reasons for arriving at his opinion.
Throughout this text, opinion and conclusion are used synonymously.

8. QUALIFICATION. The professional experience, education, and ability of a document examiner. Before
he is permitted to testify as an expert witness, the court must rule that he is qualified in his field.

Divisions of Questioned Document Examination

A. Criminalistics Examination. This involves the detection of forgery, erasure, alteration or obliteration of
documents.

Dr. Wilson Harrison, a noted British Examiner of questioned documents said that an intelligent police
investigator can detect almost 75% of all forgeries by careful inspection of a document with simple
magnifiers and measuring tools.

B. Handwriting Investigation/Analysis. This is more focused in determining the author of writing. It is

more difficult procedure and requires long study and experience.

Aspects of Questioned Document Examination

A. Handwriting Examination (Graphology/Graphoanalysis)

1. examination of signatures and initials

2. examination of anonymous letters
3. hand printing examination

B. Examination of Typewritings and typeprints.

C. Examination of Inks
D. Examination of Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc.
1. Detection of alteration
2. Decipherment of erased writings
3. Restoration of obliterated writings

E. Counterfeiting
1. Examination of currency bills and coins and the like.
2. Examination of fake documents

F. Miscellaneous aspects
1. Determination of age of documents
2. Identification of stamps ONLY
3. Examinations of seal and other authenticating devices
Related Fields of Study
A. Questioned Document Examiners - A document examiner analyzes any questioned document and is
capable of more than just questions of authorship limited only by their access to laboratory equipment.
B. Historical Dating - These is work involving the verification of age and worth of a document or object,
sometimes done by a document examiner.
C. Fraud Investigators - This is work that often overlaps with that of the document examiner and focuses
on the money trail and criminal intent
D. Paper & Ink Specialists - These are public or private experts who date, type, source, and/ or catalogue
various types of paper, watermarks, ink, printing/copy/fax machines, computer cartridges, etc., using
chemical methods
E. Forgery Specialists - These are public or private experts who analyze altered, obliterated, changed, or
doctored documents and photos using infrared lighting, expensive spectrography equipment, or digital
enhancement techniques
F. Handwriting Analysts - These are usually psychology experts who assess personality traits from
handwriting samples, also called graphologists or graphoanalysts; Forensic stylistics refers to the same
purpose but by looking at semantics, spelling, word choice, syntax, and phraseology.
G. Typewriting Analysts - These are experts on the origin, make, and model used in typewritten material
H. Computer Crime Investigators - This is an emerging group that relates to QDE through some common
investigative and testimonial procedures.

LESSION 2.2 BASIC REQUIREMENT IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION (PNP-CLO SOP)

A. Request
1. Document examination shall be based on written request from any investigating agency of the
government, court order and/ or private requesting party, provided that the letter has been approved by
the director, PNPL.
2. Document previously examined by any competent agencies of the government shall not be re-
examined except there is a court order.
3. If the case is undergoing trial in court, disputed documents shall be examined only upon order of the
court having jurisdiction of the case.

B. Standard Specimens
The specimens to be submitted will be dependent on the questioned documents under investigation.
First, the original document is necessary and the standards to be collected or requested should be
sufficient; and observance of similarity of subject matter is necessary.

The logical progress of inquiry in document examination

A. FIRST - ASCERTAIN THE FACTS: to select "QUESTIONED", "DENIED" or "ADMITTED", "AUTHENTIC", and
"DOUBTFUL" documents.
1. Concerning the Document in Questioned.
a. Is only one signature in questioned?
b. Is any part of the document in question?
C. Is the date of the document in questioned?
d. Is the paper or the typewriter used in the document in questioned? Etc.

2. Regarding the Standards:

a. Make sure that there are sufficient numbers of authentic documents for comparison
submitted. If there are inadequate standards, obtain more.
b. Determine whether the standards are authentic ones, on which a foundation can be built for
admitting them in evidence.

B. SECOND-ANALYZE THE DETAILS: Synthesize the elements, date, circumstances, conditions, technical
problems and the like.

1. The examiner after ascertaining the facts, should have detailed information as to the
circumstances of the document in questioned, the condition of an alleged writer, or of any condition that
may have affected the writing or typewriting or any facts that are part of the technical problem with the
document that is submitted to the expert. as;

2. He should inquire about the circumstances and conditions as far as the client knows, such
was the document signed sitting on the wall, on the lap, or lying in bed? Sitting on bed, lying on his back
or side? For example, a document could have been signed in a moving automobile or while having a
drink at the bar.

C. THIRD-QUALIFY THE CASE:

1. How much time is needed for the examination?

2. Is it possible to complete the study from the original papers, or is it necessary to make special photo-
enlargements for proper examination?
3. If it is possible to make arrangements with the client for photo-enlargement, is it advisable to do so?
4. Photo-enlargements are always useful for demonstrating the reasons on which the opinion is based,
especially in Court.

LESSON 2.3 SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

A. Analysis (Recognition) - properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

B. Comparison - Properties or characteristics of the unknown determined thought analysis are now
compared with the familiar or recorded properties of known items.

C. Evaluation- Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or characteristics will each have a certain value
for identification, determined by its likelihood of occurrence. The weight or significance of each must
therefore be considered.

D. Verification - It is the process of double checking the accuracy and correctness of the examination
usually conducted by other experts in the said field.

The criteria of scientific examination of documents

A. Accuracy - correspondence between results obtained and the truth.

B. Precision - measure of the consistency of results obtained in repeated study or experimentation.

Preliminary examination of documents

It is the initial examination conducted on a document to determine whether it is genuine or not. It is not
a misnomer, for in reality it consists of painstaking analysis more than looking at a document and
expressing an off-hand opinion.

A. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT:

1. ensures preparedness;
2. avoidance of delay; and
3. ensures success of the case.

B. Principal points for consideration in the PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION of questioned documents.

Please note that these questions may not be applicable in every case.
1. Is the signature genuine?
2. Is the signature in a natural position?
3. Are the signatures of the witnesses genuine and were they written in the order as they appear?
4. Does the signature touch the other writings? Or was it written last?
5. Are there remains of pencil or carbon marks which may have been an outline for the signature of
other writings? vile
6. Is the signature shown in an embossed form on the back of the sheet?
7. Is the writings written before the paper was folded?
8. Is the signature written before or after the paper was folded?
9. Is more than one kind of ink used in the preparation of the document?
10. Are the several sheets of the document exactly the same sizes, thickness and colors?
11. Is the paper torn, burned or mutilated in any way, and if so, for what purpose?
12. Is the paper unnecessary soiled or crumpled?
13. Does the document contain abrasion, chemical/pencil erasures, and alterations/substitutions of any
kind?
14. Does the document show abrasion, erasure or lack of continuity when viewed by transmitted light?
15. Has the document been wet in any way and if so, for what purpose?
16. If typewritten, are the contents of the document all written on the same machine?
17. Was each sheet written continuously at one time without being removed from the typewriter?
18. Are there added figures, words, clauses, sentences, paragraphs or pages written on a different
typewriter?
19. Do the perforations agree with the stubs from which the alleged document came?
20. If the document is a carbon copy, does it conform in the size, position, and arrangement of matters
with original letterheads?
21. If the document is a letter, does postmark, postage stamps, manner of sealing and opening of
envelope have any significance?
22. Are there indentations in the paper from handwriting or typewriting on a sheet placed above the
paper examined?
23. Is the rubber-stamp impression if any appears made from a genuine stamp?
24. Is the attached seal of proper date or the seal impression made from a genuine seal and is it made in
proper sequence?
C. Who Conducts the Preliminary Examination? It should be conducted by a QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXPERT.
D. Who is a Questioned Document Expert? A Questioned Document Expert is one who has:

1. Attained the appropriate education and training;

2. Sufficient knowledge on the technical, scientific, and legal aspects of document examinations; and

3. A broad experience in handling questioned document cases.

E. REASONS FOR UTILIZING A QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXPERT:

1. Assurance of preparedness;

2. Trial fiscal or judges are infrequently confronted with document cases; consequently, they do not
possess the knowledge of the documents expert's ability of the various methods that exist for
determining forgeries.

3. Avoidance of an "OFF-HAND❞ opinion.

F. What is an "OFF-HAND OPINION"? Off-hand opinion is usually a conclusion that is not based on
thorough scientific examination.

G. THE DANGER OF OFF-HAND OPINIONS - It has happened in some cases that an off-hand opinion, has
sent an innocent man to prison, while a murderer was given a chance to escape.

LESSON 2. 4 INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS USED IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATIONS

A. MAGNIFYING LENS - Bank personnel and other people involved in currency examinations usually use
and ordinary hand-lens; the maximum diameter of which is four inches, and this appears big with its
wide frame it has a magnifying power of two times the original only. Magnifying lenses of five times or
more magnifying power, with built-in-lighting are more useful.

B. SHADOWGRAPH - a pictorial image formed by casting a shadow, usually of the hands, upon a rightful
surface or screen.

C. STEREOSCOPIC BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE - a tri-dimensional (3D) enlargement is possible.

D. MEASURES AND TEST PLATES (TRANSPARENT GLASS) - those used for signatures and typewritings.

E. TABLE LAMPS WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADES (Goose Neck Lamps) - used for controlled illumination;
needed in sidelight examination wherein light is placed at a low-angle in a position oblique to plane or
document.

F. TRANSMITTED LIGHT GADGET - a device where light comes from beneath or behind glass on
document is placed.

G. ULTRA VIOLET LAMP - this is usually used in the detection of counterfeited bills but can actually be
used to detect security features of qualified documents.

H. INFRARED VIEWER - primarily used to decipher writings in a charred document.

I. COMPARISON MICROSCOPE - similar to that of the bullet comparison microscope.

J. VIDEO SPECTRAL COMPARATOR (VSC) - It is used in the examination of masked or obliterated text,
watermarks, visible fluorescence, paper fluorescence and oblique illumination of indented writing and
embossing. It is a comprehensive imaging device. It enables forensic document examiners to analyze,
compare and distinguish between different inks and papers, reveal alterations on a document, identify
obliterated entries, identify instances of page substitution, and visualize hidden security printing
features. Figure: VSC 5000 video spectral comparator
K. ELECTROSTATIC DETECTION APPARATUS (ESDA) - The device that can detect indention/ indented
writings can records transparencies of any indentations. It is a piece of equipment commonly used in
questioned document examination, to reveal indented impressions on paper which may otherwise go
unnoticed. It is a non-destructive technique (will not damage the evidence in question) thus allowing
further test to be carried out. It is a sensitive technique, and has been known to detect the presence of
fresh fingerprints. It is used to detect and to assist in the decipherment of indented impressions of
handwriting on paper.

Figure: The ESDA document humidifier and images of indented writing viewed with oblique lighting and
the same sample with the ESDA process

LESSON 2.5 TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

A. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION - Any examination or study which is made with the microscope in order
to discover minute physical details. Stereoscopic examination with low and high power objectives is used
to detect retouching, patching and unnatural pen-lift in signature analysis. With proper angle and
intensity or illumination, it aids in the decipherment of erasures, some minute manipulations not
perfectly pictured to the unaided eye and the sequence of entries done by different writing instruments.

B. TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINATION - In this examination, the document is viewed with the source
of illumination behind it and the light passing through the paper. Documents are subjected to this type
of examination to determine the presence of erasures, matching of serrations and some other types of
alterations.

C. OBLIQUE LIGHT EXAMINATION - An examination with the illumination so controlled that it grazes or
strikes the surface of the document from one side at a very low angle. Decipherment of faded
handwriting, determination of outlines in traced forgery, embossed impressions, etc. are subjected to
this type of examination.

D. PHOTOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION - This type of examination is very essential in every document

examination. Actual observations are recorded in the photographs.
 E. ULTRA-VIOLET EXAMINATION - Ultraviolet radiation is invisible and occurs in the wave lengths just
below the visible blue-violet end of the spectrum (rainbow). These visible rays react on some substances
so that visible light is reflected, a phenomenon known as FLOURESCENCE. This type of examination is
done in a darkroom after the lamp has been warmed up in order to give a maximum output of the ultra-
violet light. Exposure to the ultra-violet light should be to the minimum duration in order to avoid fading
of some writing ink and typewriter ribbon.

F. INFRARED EXAMINATION - This examination of documents employs invisible radiation beyond the red
portion of the visible spectrum (rainbow) which is usually recorded on a specially sensitized
photographic emulsion.

Photography and questioned document examination A. PURPOSES OF PHOTOGRAPHS IN QDE:

1. serve as record of the initial condition of a disputed document;

2. make clear what otherwise may be hidden or indistinct;
3. enlarge a writing in question so that every quality and characteristics of it can be clearly and properly
interpreted whether the facts so shown point to genuineness or to forgery;
4. enable any number of accurate reproductions of document, thus affording unlimited opportunity for
study, comparison and evaluation by any number of examiners, which would not be possible by using
the document alone;
5. allow cutting apart as may be desired and the various parts classified for comparisons;
6. can show delicate discolorations due to chemical erasures or other fraudulent changes, which may
otherwise be overlooked, or misinterpreted;
7. can show very clearly any erasures by abrasions made by ordinary rubber eraser and it can record in
permanent form with the paper placed obliquely to the plane of the lens and plate and inclined at just
right angle of reflection so as to show differences in the reflected light from different portions of the
paper surface; and
8. with transmitted light, photographs is useful in:
a. examination of watermarks
b. determining the identity, or the differences in paper by showing arrangement of the fibers and the
markings of the wire gauze and dandy roll
c. showing the continuity of strokes and
d. determining retouching or patching of a writing by showing clearly the presence of added ink film and
the uneven distribution of ink in interrupted strokes.

Miscellaneous examinations

A. ERASURES - One of the common inquiries in questioned document is whether or not an erasure was
actually made on a document. In cases like this, the following examinations are made:

1. Physical inspection: using ultraviolet light, observation with light striking the surface at a
sharp angle, and observation under the microscope maybe considered.

2. Fuming with iodine may cause an almost negligible stain, but in most instances not the
slightest semblance of a stain remains.

B. INDENTED WRITING - Indented writing is a term usually applied to the partially visible depressions
appearing on a sheet of paper underneath the one on which the visible writing appears. These
depressions or indentation are due to the application of pressure on the writing instrument and would
appear as a carbon copy if a sheet of carbon paper had been properly inserted. Indentation may also
appear on a blank sheet of paper if such is used as a backing sheet while typing out a message on a
typewriter. Methods of examination are:

1. Physical methods maybe used by passing a strong beam of nearly parallel light almost horizontally
over the surface of the paper.

2. Fuming the document maybe of values in some cases.

3. Powders of various kinds maybe used without changing the document.

C. BURNED OR CHARRED PAPER - A piece of paper maybe subjected to the action of a limited amount of
heat, causing it to become scorched and retaining a certain amount of its identity or it maybe subjected
to intense heat, reducing it to ashes and losing its identity. However, if the combustion is incomplete, a
certain amount of success maybe realized provided the pieces are large enough to form a coherent
message.

The following methods maybe applied to decipher the original message contained thereon:

1. Photographic methods, using various types of filters and different angles of illumination may
determine the writing contained thereon without changing the appearance of the charred fragments.
2. Chemical methods, such as spraying, painting, or bathing charred pieces with solutions of different
chemical reagents.
3. Photographic plates maybe utilized by allowing the charred paper to remain in contact with the
emulsion sides in total darkness from one to two weeks.

D. ADDING MACHINES - The construction of an adding machine differs greatly from the typewriter but
the methods and principles of identification are related.

Manufacturers use different types of numerals and from time to time change their design. The spacing
between columns is also not standardized for all machines. Those factors form the basis of determining
the make of the machine and for estimating the period in which it was built. Another kind of approach is
the ribbon impression, for the ribbon is made and operates very similarly to the typewriter.

LESSON 2.6 HANDLING OF DOCUMENTS AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

A. THE CARE OF DISPUTED DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

1. It is a basic requirement, that when a document becomes disputed and deposited in court or with the
attorney, in order to maintain its original condition, it should be kept UNFOLDED AND IN A SEPARATE,
PROPER SIZE ENVELOPE OR FOLDER. This is true not only for the disputed documents, but for many
other important documentary evidence.

2. It is also advisable that right after the document becomes disputed, or questioned, it is important to
make not only the usual photo static copy (Xerox), but also a proper photograph or photo-enlargement,
done if possible by the document expert or under the supervision of the document expert.

3. When working in the preparation of case, it is often necessary for the lawyer or court to handle
repeatedly the disputed document. Should this be necessary, instead of handling and working with the
original document, the photograph should be used.

4. Every touching, folding, refolding or pointing to certain parts of a document, can change the physical
condition of the case. For example, touching with wet hands or fingers can create smearing in the ink,
pointing with a pencil can leave marks that create a suspicion of previous pencil marks, or experiments
as proof of attempted forgery.

5. Pointing a document with any other instruments, such as sharp stick, can cause slight damage which
although it can not be seen by the naked eye, can show definite marks under the microscope or on the
enlarged photograph.

6. No test should be made to alter the conditions of the document; for example, the old-fashioned ink
test, which was used to determine the age of the ink-writing.

7. Should any test be necessary, insist that it should be done in the presence of a chemist, or in court, or
in front of both parties involved the case.

B. DO's and DON'T's in the CARE, HANDLING AND PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS

1. "DO'S"

a. Take disputed papers to Document Examiner's Laboratory at the First Opportunity.

b. If storage is necessary, keep in dry place away from excessive heat strong light.
c. Maintain in consequential document, unfolded and in transparent plastic envelope or evidence
preserver.

2. "DONT'S"

a. Do not underscore, make careless markings, fold, erase, impress rubber stamps, sticker, write on, or
otherwise alter any handwriting.

b. Do not smear with fingerprints powder or chemicals.

c. Do not carry handwriting document carelessly in wallet, notebook or brief case on grounds of
interviews.

d. Do not handle disputed papers excessively or carry then in pocket for a long time.

e. Do not marked disputed documents (either by consciously writing instruments or dividers)

f. Do not mutilate or damage by repeated refolding, creasing, cutting, tearing or punching for filing
purposes.

g. Do not allow anyone except qualified specialist to make chemical or other tests; do no treat or dust
for latent finger prints before consulting a document examiner.

C. HANDLING CHARRED DOCUMENTS

1. Those extremely fragile must be handled as little as possible and transporting them to the laboratory
requires extra-ordinary care. With forethought and caution they can be brought from the distant fire
scene to the laboratory.

2. They should be moved in the container in which they are found whenever possible. When the
fragments are not packed tightly, they should be padded with lightweight absorbent cotton. If jarring can
not be entirely eliminated jarring the box must be kept to a minimum.

3. Thus every precaution must be taken in handling and transporting the charred residue in order to
prevent the large pieces from becoming unnecessarily and badly broken. The fragment must be held
firmly without crushing and prevent movement or shifting when finally packed in a sturdy container.
Module 2 Post-Test

Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer. Encircle the corresponding letter of your answer.

1. Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may be referred to as:

a. Erasure b. Addition

c. Intercalation d. Insertion

2. One who studies scientifically the details and elements of documents in order to identify their source
or to discover other facts concerning them.

a. Document examiner b. Examiner

c. Expert d. Expert witness

3. It is the act of making a close and critical study of any material and with questioned documents, it is
the process necessary to discover the facts about them.

a. Examination b. Conclusion

c. Finding d. Opinion

4. A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his special training or experience is
permitted to express an opinion regarding the issue, or a certain aspect of the issue, which is involved in
a court action

a. Document examiner b. Witness

c. Expert Witness d. Ordinary witness

5. This term include the addition of writing and other material between lines or paragraphs or the
addition of whole page to a document.

a. Insertion and interlineations b. Addition

c. Erasure d. Obliteration

6. Refers to the blotting out or shearing over the writing to make the original invisible to as an addition.

a. Insertion and interlineations b. Addition

c. Erasure d. Obliteration

7. In legal language, it refers to the Document Examiner's conclusion.

a. Examination b. Conclusion

c. Finding d. Opinion

8. He said that an intelligent police investigator can detect almost 75% of all forgeries by careful
inspection of a document with simple magnifiers and measuring tools.

a. Albert S. Osborn b. Wilson Harrison

c. James VP Conway d. Cesare Lombroso

9. Refers to the properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

a. Analysis b. Comparison

c. Evaluation d. Verification

10. It is the process of double checking the accuracy and correctness of the examination usually
conducted by other experts in the said field.

a. Analysis b. Comparison c. Evaluation d. Verification

11. This instrument is used by bank personnel and other people involved in currency examinations
usually use and ordinary hand-lens; the maximum diameter of which is four inches, and this appears big
with its wide frame it has a magnifying power of two times the original only.

a. Magnifying lens b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Infrared light

12. Used for controlled illumination; needed in sidelight examination wherein light is placed at a low-
angle in a position oblique to plane or document.

a. Table lamps with adjustable shades b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Infrared light

13. Refers to a pictorial image formed by casting a shadow, usually of the hands, upon a rightful surface
or screen.

a. Magnifying lens b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Infrared light

14. A device where light comes from beneath or behind glass on document is placed.

a. Magnifying lens b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Infrared light

15. An instrument is usually used in the detection of counterfeited bills but can actually be used to
detect security features of qualified documents.

a. Magnifying lens b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Ultra violet lamp

16. Primarily used to decipher writings in a charred document.

a. Magnifying lens b. Shadowgraph

c. Transmitted light d. Infrared light

17. It is used in the examination of masked or obliterated text, watermarks, visible fluorescence, paper
fluorescence and oblique illumination of indented writing and embossing.

a. Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) b. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA)

c. Shadowgraph d. Transmitted light

18. The device that can detect indention/ indented writings can records transparencies of any
indentations.

a. Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) c. Shadowgraph

b. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) d. Transmitted light

19. In this examination, the document is viewed with the source of illumination behind it and the light
passing through the paper.

a. microscopic examination b. Transmitted light examination

c. Oblique light examination d. Photographic examination

20. An examination with the illumination so controlled that it grazes or strikes the surface of the
document from one side at a very low angle

a. microscopic examination b. Transmitted light examination

c. Oblique light examination d. Photographic examination

 MODULE 3

HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION

Overview

This module presents the various principles of identification, basis of handwriting identification,
variation in handwriting, development of handwriting of an individual, recognition of writing
characteristics and movement in handwriting. Further, this module comprehensively discusses writing
characteristics and other identifying features. The lessons in this module are divided into:

Lesson 3.1 Principles of identification

Lesson 3.2 Basis of handwriting identification
Lesson 3.3 Variations in handwriting
Lesson 3.4 Development of handwriting of an individual
Lesson 3.5 Recognition of writing characteristics
Lesson 3.6 Movement in handwriting
Lesson 3.7 Handwriting characteristics and other identifying features

Module 3 Pre-Test

Multiple Choice: Choose the best answer by encircling the corresponding letter of your answer.

1. Refers to the average force with which the pen contacts the paper.

a. Pen pressure b. Pen emphasis

c. Pen lift d. Pen stop

2. The relation between the tall and the short letter is referred as to the ratio of writing.

a. Spacing b. Proportion or Ratio

c. Speed d. Baseline

3. Is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a flexible pen point or to the use of a
stub pen.

a. Shading b. Retouching

c. Alteration d. Erasures

4. The degree of force exerted on the pen compared to the degree of relaxation.

a. Pen pressure b. Pen emphasis

c. Tension d. Forceful writing

5. Refers to rudimentary curved initial strokes

a. Blunt ending b. beard

c. pen stop d. pen lift

6. An element added to complete certain letters.

a. Diacritic b. Extensor

c. Tension d. Forceful writing

7. The introductory backward stroke.

a. Hitch b. Hump

c. Hook or Trough d. Spur

8. The rounded outside of the bend, crook, or curve in small letters

a. Trough c. Hook

b. Hump d. Spur

9. Short, horizontal beginning strokes.

a. Trough c. Hook

b. Hump d. Spur

10. A stroke that goes back over another writing stroke.

a. Retrace b. Hump

c. Hook d. Retouch

LESSION 3.1 PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION

1. No two writers write exactly alike.

2. The physical writing condition and position of the person including his writing instrument may affect
the handwriting characteristics but they do not confine all its identity elements.

3. A writer cannot exceed his maximum writing ability or skill without serious effort and training over a
period of time.

4. The combination of handwriting characteristics including those derived from form and writing
movements are essential elements of identification.

5. Individuality in handwriting can only be determined through comparison examination with the
standard written or prepared under comparable conditions.

6. Similarity does not mean identity.

7. Complete identity means forgery.

8. Sufficiency of specimen

a) A writing was written by one person when there is a sufficient number of identical writing habits and
identical primary controlling characteristics and in addition, the absence of divergent characteristics.

b) A writing was not written by one person when there is a sufficient number of divergent writing
characteristics and the absence of identical primary controlling characteristics.

HANDWRITING - It is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as whole, combination
of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued painstaking effort.
Some defined handwriting as "visible speech."

Kinds of Writings

A. Cursive - connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.

B. Script - separated or printed writing.

C. BLOCK- all CAPITAL LETTERS.

LESSON 3.2 BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

A. In Wignore's Principles of judicial proof, handwriting is defined as a visible effect of bodily movement
which is an almost unconscious expression of fixed muscular habits, reacting from fixed mental
impression of certain ideas associated with script form.

B. Environment, education and occupation affect individuals so variously in the formation of these
muscular habits that finally the act of writing becomes an almost automatic succession of acts
stimulated by these habits.
C. The imitation of the style of writing by another person becomes difficult because the other person
cannot by mere will power reproduce in himself all the muscular combination from the habit of the first
writer.

Is handwriting/signature identification an "exact science"? - In the hand of a qualified examiner

operating under proper conditions, identification by means of handwriting/signature is certain. Proper
conditions include:

1. sufficient questioned writing

2. sufficient known writing

3. sufficient time

4. use of scientific instruments

Physiological basis of handwriting

In writing the pen functions as an extension of the hand. The fingers transmit to the paper, the directive
impulse and the variation in muscular tension that according to the nature of tie writer's nervous
organization occur during the act or writing. This center near the motor area of the cortex is responsible
for the finger movement involved in handwriting. The importance of this center is that when it becomes
diseased as in a graphic, one loses the ability to write although he could still grasp a fountain pen, ball
pen or pencil. Thus, the ability or power to hold a fountain pen or pencil to form symbols and words can
be said to emanate from its cortical center.

Two Groups of Muscles Involve in Handwriting:

1. extensor muscles - push up the pen to form the upward strokes

2. flex muscles which push the pen to form the downward strokes.

Generally speaking, four groups of muscles are employed in writing - those which operate the joints of
the fingers, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The delicate way in which the various muscles used in writing
work together to produce written form is known as motor coordination.

LESSON 3.3 VARIATIONS IN HANDWRITING

A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the subjective mind but the hand does not
always produce a stereotyped duplicate of that pattern. The hand ordinarily is not an instrument of
precision and therefore we may not expect every habitual manual operation to be absolutely uniform.
The greater this skill in the art of penmanship, the less the variations there will be in the form of
individualize letters as well as in the writing as a whole.

Causes of variation

1. Function of some external condition i.e. influence of the available space.

2. Abnormal conditions such as physical injury, toxic effects, inebriation's, emotion and deception.

3. Position of letter - all the letters are to be found initially, medially, and finally. The fact of a different
position, especially in combination with another and particular letter, may modify any of them in some
way or another.

Importance of variation

1. Personal variation encountered under normal writing conditions is also a highly important element of
identification. The qualities of personal variation include both its nature and its extent. It becomes
necessary to determine the amount, extent, and exact quality of the variations.

2. It is improbable that the variety and extent of the variation in handwriting will be exactly duplicated in
two individuals that such a coincidence becomes practically impossible and this multitude of possible
variations when combined is what constitutes individuality in handwriting.
3. With a group of signatures of a particular writer, certain normal divergence in size, lateral spacing and
proportions actually indicate genuineness. Variation in genuine writing is ordinarily in superficial parts
and in size, proportions, degree of care given to the act, design, slant, shading, vigor, angularity,
roundness and direction of stroke.

LESSON 3.4 DEVELOPMENT OF HANDWRITING OF AN INDIVIDUAL

1. Children learn writing by following the school copy or model.

2. After acquiring some degree of skill the children no longer follow the school model.

3. As speed increases, conscious design and regularity begin to break down.

4. In the course of trial and error, modification are made, simplification and elaborations, addition and
omissions occur.

a. The writing pattern of each child embodies unique combinations of such deviation from the standard
letter forms or school model, and becomes his personal habits.

b. Although thousands learn the same system and that the natural result is identity, but facts show that
it is not because those who were taught the same system or school copy a class of writers, but such
impairs does not by any means produce a slavish uniformity.

c. Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues until each writer in the way that seems best
and easiest to him.

SCHOOL COPYBOOK FORM (school model) - refers to the standard of handwriting instruction taught in
particular school. Classes of copybook depend on the standard school copy adopted by a writer.

A. SYSTEMS of Early American Handwriting

1. Old English round hand - an Italian hand popular in 1840.

2. Modified round hand - early edition of the Spencerian, and the Payson, Dunton, and Scribners
copybook - 1840-1860.

3. Spencerian - there is simplification by the omission of extra strokes and flourishes. And a general
tendency toward plainer letters than the preceding system, some of which were very ornate - 1860-
1890.

4. Modern Vertical writing 1890-1900

5. The arm movement writing - the manner or method of writing, instead of the form alone is especially
emphasized.

Out of these five divisions of early handwriting, the modern commercial hand systems developed. This is
characterized by free movement. And the forms adopted are best suited to easy rapid writing. These are
the Zaner and Blozer system of arm movement writing and the Palmer system of American arm
movement. The last great revolution in American handwriting was the adoption of vertical writing which
was in fact a reversion to the old system of slow but legible writing. The connecting stroke is based on
the small circle and is the most distinctive "round hand" ever devised. It was very slow compared with
writing based on the narrow ellipse like the Spencerian in which all connections were almost points
instead of broad curves. Most commercial handwritings tend toward straight connecting strokes and
narrow connections.

B. SOME MODERN SCHOOL MODEL FORMS

1. Palmer Copybook
2. D'Nealian Copybook
3. British Copybook
4. French Copybook
5. German Copybook
C. SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL COPY FORMS or System Characteristics as Basis in the Identification of
Handwriting

1. Similarities of form are not indicative of identity unless they concern unusual form or what are
termed deviations from the normal. Similarities are bound to occur in different writings but such
similarities exist only in letters which are normal in form, the fact bears no significance.

2. All differences in form are indicated of non-identity

3. The likeness in form maybe general and simply indicate the class or genus or the difference that does
not differentiate maybe nearly superficial.

4. In many systems of writing, the date and influences of system of writing have an important bearing on
the question of genuine or of forgery and in other cases, the presence of European characteristics in
handwriting is a vital and controlling fact.

D. IMPORTANCE OF THE DESIGN OF THE LETTERS (System of Writing)

1. To the nationality of the writer.

2. To the system learned.

3. To the date when the writing was acquired and

4. To some of the influences that have surrounded the writer.

LESSON 3.5 RECOGNITION OF WRITING CHARACTERISTICS

The following are the writing characteristics commonly involved in the examination of handwriting:

1. Form - This refers to the shape or design of the individual letters.

e.g.

2. Slope or Slant - It is an angle or inclination of the axis of letters relative to the baseline.

e.g. Richard T. Camara Richard T. Camara

3. Size - as a writing characteristic is somewhat divergent under varying condition and may have but little
significance when applied to only one example, or to a small quality of writing like a signature unless the
divergence is very pronounced.

e.g.

Richard T. Camara
Richard T. Camara

4. Proportion - Individual characteristics in relative proportion of letters or proportion of a part of a letter

or relative height of one letter to another letter can be found in different writing. Proportion of letters is
one of the hidden features of writing.

e.g.
 5. Ratio - The relation between the tall and short letters is referred to as the ratio of the writing.

e.g.

6. Connecting Strokes - this refers to the strokes of links that connects a letter with the one following: In
signatures, it is a common practice among many writers to write their signatures with the initials and
connected without lifting the pen. In writing, many writers habitually drop the connection before certain
letters (particularly small letters within words).

7. Terminal Strokes and Initial Strokes - When a letter, word or name (signature) is completed in a free,
natural writing, the pen is usually raised from paper while in motion with a "flying finish" (or what is also
referred to as "vanishing", "tapering" or "flourishing" terminal strokes) and with many writters, the
motion of the pen also slightly precedes the putting of the pen on the paper at the beginning with "flying
start" so that the strokes at the beginning and end of words gradually diminish or taper to a "vanishing
point".

e.g.

Initial- Richard- Terminal

8. Pen-Lift-It is an interruption in a stoke caused by removing the pen from the paper.

e.g. Richard T. Camara

9. Hiatus - Is a gap between strokes due to speed in writing and defective writing instruments.

e.g. Richard.

10.Lateral Spacing - lateral spacing is considered as a common characteristic when it conforms to the
ordinary copy-book-form.

e.g.

Richard T. Camara

11. Shading - It is the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper surface.

e.g.

Richard T. Camara

12. Line Quality - refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the basic movement and manner of
holding the writing instrument.

e.g. Richard T. Camara Richard T. Camara

Good Bad

13. Alignment - is the relation of the parts of the whole line of writing or line of individual letters in
words or signature to the baseline.

e.g.

14. Rhythm - It is the balanced quality of movements of the harmonious recurrence of stress or impulse.
e.g. Richard J. Camara Richard J. Camara
15. Pen pressure - it is the average force in which the pen makes contact with the paper or the usual
force involved in writing.

e.g. Richard T. Camara Richard T. Camara

16. Tremor - means "deviation from uniform strokes due to lack of smoothness perfectly apparent even
without magnification".

17. Natural Variation - variation is: due to lack of machine-like precision of the human hand, it is also
caused by external factors, such as the writing instrument and the writing position, influenced by
physical and mental condition such as fatigue, intoxication, illness, nervousness and the age of the
writer, due to the quality of the writing prepared in the course of time, variation in genuine signature
appears in superficial parts and does not apply to the whole process of writing.

e.g. Richard T. Camara

18. Rubric or Embellishment - This refers to additional unnecessary strokes not necessary to legibility of
letterforms or writing but incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental purpose.

e.g. Richard T. Camara Richard T. Camara

TECHNICAL TERMS

1. ALIGNMENT - Is the relation of parts of the whole of writing or line of individual letters in words to
the baseline. It is the alignment of words or the relative alignment of letters.
2. ANGULAR FORMS - Sharp, straight strokes that are made by stopping the pen and changing direction
before continuing.
3. ARCADE FORMS - Forms that look like arches rounded on the top and open at the bottom.
4. CHARACTERISTICS - any property or mark which distinguishes and in document examination
commonly called to as the identifying details.
5. COLLATION - side by side comparison; collation as used in this text means the critical comparison on
side by side examination.
6. COMPARISON - the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their identifying qualities; it
refers not only a visual but also the mental act in which the element of one item are related to the
counterparts of the other.
7. DISGUISED WRITING - A writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing habits in hopes of hiding
his identity. The results, regardless of their effectiveness are termed disguised writing.
8. DOWNSTROKE - The movement of the pen toward the writer.
9. FORM - The writer's chosen writing style. The way the writing looks, whether it is copybook,
elaborated, simplified or printed.
10. GARLAND FORMS - A cup-like connected form that is open at the top and rounded on the bottom.
11. GESTALT - The German word that means "complete" or "whole". A good gestalt needs nothing added
or taken away to make it "look right". Also a school of handwriting analysis that looks at handwriting as a
whole picture.
12. GRAPHOANALYSIS - the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental strokes, the curve and
the straight strokes.
13. GRAPHOMETRY - analysis by comparison and measurement.
14. GRAPHOLOGY - the art of determining character disposition and amplitude of a person from the
study of handwriting. It also means the scientific study and analysis of handwriting, especially with
reference to forgeries and questioned documents.
15. HANDLETTERING. Any disconnected style of writing in which each letter is written separately; also
called hand printing.
16. LETTER SPACE - The amount of space left between letters.
17. LINE DIRECTION - Movement of the baseline. May slant up, down, or straight across the page.
18. LINE QUALITY - the overall character of the ink lines from the beginning to the ending strokes. There
are two classes: Good Line quality and Poor Line quality. The visible records in the written stroke of the
basic movements and manner of holding the writing instrument is characterized by the term "line
quality". It is derived from a combination of actors including writing skill, speed rhythm, freedom of
movements, shading and pen position.
19. LINE SPACE - The amount of space left between lines.
20. MANUSCRIPT WRITING. A disconnected form of script or semi-script writing. This type of writing is
taught in young children in elementary schools as the first step in learning to write.
21. MARGINS - The amount of space left around the writing on all four sides.
22. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION - Any study or examination which is made with the microscope in
other to discover minute details.
23. MOVEMENT It is an important element in handwriting. It embraces all the factors which are related
to the motion of the writing instrument skill, speed freedom, hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremors and
the like. The manner in which the writing instrument is move that is by finger, hand, forearm or whole
arm. 24. NATURAL WRITING - Any specimen of writing executed normally without any attempt to
control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.
25. NATURAL VARIATION These are normal or usual deviations found specimens of any individual
handwriting. between repeated
26. PEN EMPHASIS - The act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper surfaces. When the pen-
point has flexibility, this emphasis produces shading, but with more rigid writing points heavy point
emphasis can occur in writing w/out any evidence of shading; the act intermittently forcing the pen
against the paper with increase pressure.
27. PEN HOLD - The place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and the angle at which he holds
it.
28. PEN POSITION - relationship between the pen point and the paper.
29. PEN PRESSURE - the average force with which the pen contacts the paper. Pen pressure as opposed
to pen emphasis deals with the usual of average force involved in the writing rather than the period
increases.
30. PRINTSCRIPT - A creative combination of printing and cursive writing.
31. PROPORTION or RATIO - the relation between the tall and the short letter is referred as to the ratio
of writing.
32. QUALITY. A distinct or peculiar character. Also, "quality" is used in describing handwriting to refer to
any identifying factor that is related to the writing movement itself. –
33. RHYTHM The element of the writing movement which is marked by regular or periodic recurrences.
It may be classed as smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its quality; the flourishing succession of motion
which are recorded in a written record. Periodicity, alternation of movement.
34. SHADING - Is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a flexible pen point or to
the use of a stub pen.
35. SIGNIFICANT WRITING HABIT - Any characteristic of handwriting that is sufficiently uncommon and
well fixed to serve as a fundamental point in the identification.
36. SIMPLIFICATION - Eliminating extra or superfluous strokes from the copybook model.
37. SIZE - May refer to the overall size of the writing or the proportions between zones.
38. SKILL - In any set there are relative degrees or ability or skill and a specimen of handwriting usually
contains evidence of the writer's proficiency; degree, ability, or skill of a write proficiency.
39. SLOPE/SLANT - the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the baseline. There are
three classes: Slant to the left; Slant to the right; and Vertical Slant.
40. SPEED OF WRITING - The personal pace at which the writer's pen moves across the paper.
41. SPEED (SPEEDY) WRITING - Not everyone writes at the same rate so that consideration of the speed
of writing may be a significant identifying element. Writing speed cannot be measured precisely from
the finished handwriting but can be interpreted in broad terms of slow, moderate, or rapid.
42. SYSTEM (OF WRITING) - The combination of the basic design of letters and the writing movement as
taught in school make up the writing system. Writing through use diverges from the system, but
generally retains some influence of the basic training.
43. TENSION - The degree of force exerted on the pen compared to the degree of relaxation.
44. THREADY FORM - An indefinite connective form that looks flat and wavy.
45. VARIABILITY - The degree to which the writing varies from the copybook model.
46. VARIATION - The act or process of changing.
47. WORD SPACE - The amount of space left between words.
48. WRITING CONDITION - Both the circumstances under which the writing was prepared and the
factors influencing the writer's ability to write at the time of execution. It includes the writer's position
(sitting, standing, abed, etc.), the paper support and backing, and the writing instrument; writing ability
may be modified by the condition of the writer's health, nervous state, or degree of intoxication.
49. WRONG-HANDED WRITING. Any writing executed with the opposite hand that normally used; a.k.a.
as "with the awkward hand." It is one means of disguise. Thus, the writing of a right- handed person
which has been executed with his left hand accounts for the common terminology for this class of
disguise as "left-hand writing".
50. WRITING IMPULSE - The result of the pen touching down on the paper and moving across the page,
until it is raised from the paper.

COMMON TERMS AND DESCRIPTION OF LETTERS

4. Buckle Knot - the horizontal and looped strokes that are often used to complete such letters.

5. Central Part of the Body- the part of a letter ordinary formed by a small circle that usually lies on the
line of writing.
LESSON 3.6 MOVEMENT IN HANDWRITING

A. KINDS OF MOVEMENT

1. Finger Movement - the thumb, the first, second and slightly the third fingers are in actual motion.
Most usually employed by children and illiterates.

2. Hand Movement - produced by the movement or action of the whole hand with the wrist as the
center of attraction.

3. Forearm Movement - the movement of the shoulder, hand and arm with the support of the table.

4. Whole Forearm Movement - action of the entire arm without resting. i.e., blackboard writing.

B. QUALITY OF MOVEMENT

1. Clumsy, illiterate and halting

2. Hesitating and painful due to weakness and illness

3. Strong, heavy and forceful

4. Nervous and irregular

5. Smooth, flowing and rapid

C. SPEED-Slow and drawn; Deliberate; average; and rapid

D. DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS EMPLOYED AFFECT WRITING IN - Smoothness; Directness; Uniformity;

Continuity of strokes; and Connecting or curves between letters

Motor coordination

It is the special way in which the various muscles used in writing work together to produce written
forms.

The Characteristics of Motor Coordination are:

1. Free, smelt rounded curves

2. Speed and gradual changes of directions

3. Pressure is always in a state of change, moving from light to heavy or from heavy to light.
 4. The shading impulse is distributed over a considerable length of the line whereas in writing produced
with a slow motion as in the finger movement, the shading often has a "bunchy" appearance, in which
the maximum width of the shaded line is attained abruptly.

Faulty motor coordination's are characterized by the following:

1. Wavering and very irregular line or strokes with uncertain and unsteady progress. There is no freedom
of movement along the strokes of the letter-forms. The writing is obviously very slow and is typical of the
writing of a young child or for any one who painstakingly draws a picture of an unfamiliar form.

2. Angular Line - a very common fault of coordination. Curves, large and small are not smoothly rounded
and there is no gradual change of direction. On the contrary, and angle marks almost every change are
direction in the line. Investigation has disclosed that angles are accompanied by a lessening of writing
speed.

Rhythm in Handwriting

Rhythm is a succession of connected, uniform strokes working in full coordination. This is manifested by
clear-cut accentuated strokes, which increase and decrease in which like perfect cones. Pressure is
always in a state of change moving from light to heavy or from heavy to light.

A. LACK OF RHYTHM - Characterized by a succession of awkward, independent, poorly directed and

disconnected motions.

B. IMPORTANCE OF RHYTHM - By studying the rhythm of the succession of strokes, one can determine if
the writer normally and spontaneously or write with hesitation as if he is attempting to for another
signature.

C. LETTER OF CONNECTIONS - Determine the essential expression of the writing pattern. It is a mean
indicator of the neuromuscular function. Words are formed by connection letters to one another. Even
letters are formed by the joining of the upward and downward strokes. These types of connections are:

1. Arcade - a rounded stroke shaped like an arch. It is a slow mode of connection resulting from
controlled movements.

2. Garland - Links the downward stroke to the upstrokes with a flowing curve swinging from left t right. It
is an easy, effortless mode of connection, written with speed.

3. Angular connective form- When the downward strokes and upward strokes meet directly, angular
connection is formed. This type of connection imposes a check on the continuity of movement which is
characterized by an abrupt stop and start in each turning point.

4. The threadlike connective form - the joining of downward and upward strokes is slurred to a
threadlike tracing or where rounded turns used at both top and bottom produce a double curve. These
forms appear both in the shaping of letters within the word.

Handwriting Stroke

STROKE is a series of lines or curves written in a single letter; one of the lines of an alphabet or series of
lines or curves within a single letter; the path traced by the pen on the paper.

1. ARC-a curved formed inside the top curve of loop as in small letters "h", "m", "n", & "p".

2. ARCH - any arcade form in the body of a letter found in small letters which contain arches.

3. ASCENDER - is the top portion of a letter or upper loop.

4. BASELINE - maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be imaginary alignment of writing; is the ruled or
imaginary line upon which the writing rests.

5. BEADED - Preliminary embellished initial stroke which usually occurs in capital letters.

6. BEARD - is the rudimentary initial up stroke of a letter.

7. BLUNT - the beginning and ending stroke of a letter (without hesitation).

8. BODY-The main portion of the letter, minus the initial of strokes, terminal strokes and the diacritic, of
any. Ex: the oval of the letter "O" is the body, minus the downward stroke and the loop.

9. BOWL - a fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter complete into "O".

10. BUCKLE/BUCKLEKNOT - A loop made as a flourished which is added to the letters, as in small letter "k
& b", or in capital letters "A", "K","P"; the horizontal end loop stroke that are often used to complete a
letter.

11. CACOGRAPHY - a bad writing.

12. CALLIGRAPHY- the art of beautiful writing.

13. DESCENDER - opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a letter.

14. DIACRITIC - "t" crossing and dots of the letter "i" and "j". The matters of the Indian script are also
known as diacritic signs; an element added to complete a certain letter, either a cross bar or a dot.

15. ENDING/TERMINATE STROKE OF TOE - the end stroke of a letter.

16. EYE/EYELET/EYELOOP - a small loop or curved 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.

17. FOOT - lower part which rest on the base line. The small letter "m" has three feet, and the small
letter "n" has two feet.

18. HABITS - any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize writing.

19. 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.

20. HIATUS/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.

21. HOOK - It is a minute curve or a ankle which often occurs at the end of the terminal strokes. It also
sometimes occurs at the beginning of an initial stroke. 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; the minute involuntary talon
like formation found at the commencement of an initial up stroke or the end terminal stroke.

22. HUMP - Upper portion of its letter "m","n","h","k" - the rounded outside of the top of the bend
stroke or curve in small letter.

23. KNOB -the extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal stroke due to the slow withdrawal of the
pen from the paper (usually applicable to fountain pen).

24. LIGATURE/CONNECTION - The stroke which connects two stroke of letter; characterized by connected
stroke between letters.

25. LONG LETTER - those letters with both upper and lower loops.

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

27. MAJUSCULE - a capital letter.

28. MINUSCULE - a small letter.

29. MOVEMENT IMPULSES - this refer to the continuity of stroke, forged writing is usually produced by
disconnected and broken movements and more motion or movement impulses than in genuine writing.
30. PATCHING - retouching or going back over a defective portion of a written stroke. Careful patching is
common defect on forgeries.

31. PEN-LIFT - It is an interruption in a stoke caused by removing the pen from the paper.

32. RETRACE/RETRACING - Any part of a stroke which is super imposed upon the original stroke. Ex:
vertical stroke of the letters "d", "t" while coming downward from the top to bottom will have a retracing
strokes; any stroke which goes back over another writing strokes. In natural handwriting there may be
instances in which the pen doubled back over the course.

33. SHADING - It is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a flexible pen point or
to the use of a stub pen.

34. SPUR-A short initial or terminal stroke.

35. STAFF - Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the long downward stroke of a letter "b"
"g".

36. STEM OR SHANK - The upright long downward stroke that is the truck or stalk, normally seen in
capital letters.

37. TICK/HITCH-Any short stroke, which usually occurs at the top of the letters.

38. TREMOR-A writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes is described as writing tremor

39. WHIRL- The upstroke of a looping ascender.

Other terms concerning strokes

1. AIRSTROKE - The movement of the pen as it is raised from the paper and continues in the same
direction in the air.

2. COVERING STROKE - A stroke that unnecessarily covers another stroke in a concealing action.

3. FINAL - The ending stroke on a letter when it is at the end of a word.

4. UPSTROKE - Movement of the pen away from the writer.

5. SEQUENCE OF STROKES - The order in which writing strokes are placed on the paper is referred to as
their sequence.

6. SUPPORTED STROKES - Upstrokes partially covering the previous down strokes. Originally taught in
European schools.

7. TRAIT STROKE - a school o handwriting analysis that assigns personality trait manners to individual
writing strokes.

Qualities of the strokes

1. Expansion - whether the movement is extended or limited in its range with respect to both vertical
and horizontal dimension.

2. Co-ordination whether the flow of movement is controlled or uncertain, smooth or jerky, continuous
or interrupted.

3. Speed - whether the movement has been rapid or slow and whether the pace has been steady or
variable.

4. Pressure- whether the pressure exerted in the movement and its upward and downward reach.

5. Direction- Left ward and right ward trend of the movement and its upward and downward reach.

6. Rhythm - in the sequence of movements that weave the total pattern, certain similar phases recur at
more or less regular intervals.

Handwriting problems
 1. A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality is genuine and corresponds perfectly
to the ordinary, and habitual signatures of that person.
2. A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality was written by him but in a way
which was different from the ordinary manner and which is more or less different from the common
genuine signatures of that person.

3. A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality was written by a third person and
which is a forgery written in an attempted imitation of a model.

4. A spurious signature/handwriting written by somebody who did not attempt to imitate the signature
of a person and who uses a fictitious name and this to give his work the appearance of a signature.

5. An uncontested signature/handwriting, in fact, genuine but written by an unknown person whose

name must be deciphered by the document examiner.

General Classes of Questioned Writing

1. Forged or simulated writings in which the attempt is made to discard one's own writing and assume
the exact writing personality of another person.

2. Disguised - Those writings that are disguised and in which the writer seeks to hide his own personality
without adapting that of another.

LESSON 3.7 HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS AND OTHER IDENTIFYING FEATURES

Writing Habits - Writing by all its thousand of peculiarities in combination is the most personal and
individuals thing that a man does that leaves a record which can be seen and studies. This is what
constitutes individuality in handwriting.

A. GENERAL(CLASS) CHARACTERISTICS These characteristics refer to those habits part of basic writing
system or which are modifications of the system of writing found among so large a group of writes that
have only slight identification value.

B. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS - They are characteristics which are the result of the writer's muscular
control, coordination, age, health, and nervous temperament, frequency of writing, personality and
character. They are found in Writing movement, Form and design of letters, Motor Coordination,
Shading, Skill, Alignment, Pen pressure, Connection, Pen hold, Rhythm, Disconnections or pen lifts
between letters, Speed, Slant as a writing habit, Proportion of letters as an individual characteristic or
habit, Quality of stroke or line quality, Variation and Muscular control or motor control.

Types of handwriting according to muscular control

a. Loose writing - this is characterized by too much freedom of movement and lack of regulation. This is
noticed especially in tall letters forms. It gives you This writing is small.

b. Restrained writing - there is lack of freedom and inhibited movements. the impression that every
stroke was made with great difficulty. There is distortion of letter forms which may lead to illegibility.

Indications of speed (speedy) writing

a. Smooth, unbroken strokes and rounded forms.

b. Frequent signs or tendencies to the right.

c. Marked uncertainty as to the location of the dots of small letters "I", "j" & crosses of small letter "+".

d. Increased spontaneity of words or small letter "+" connected with the following words.

e. Letters curtailed or degenerated almost to illegibility towards the end of words.

f. Wide writing - width of letters is greater than the connecting spaces adjoining it.

g. Great difference in emphasis between upstrokes and down strokes.

h. Marked simplification of letters especially capital letters.

i. Rising line.

j. Increased pen pressure.

k. Increase in the margin to left at the beginning of the line.

Indications of slow writing

a. Wavering forms and broken strokes.

b. Frequent signs or tendencies to the left.

c. Conspicuous certainly as to the location of the dots of small letters "I","j","or "t" crosses with scarcely
perceptible deviation from the intended direction.

d. Frequent pauses by meaningless blobs, angles, divided letters and retouches.

e. Careful execution of detail of letters, toward the end or names.

f. Narrow writing.

g. No difference in emphasis in upstroke and down stroke

h. Ornamental or flourishing connections.

i. Sinking lines

C. EXAMPLES OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

1. Ordinary copy-book form

2. Usual systematic slant

3. Ordinary scale of proportion or ratio

4. Conventional spacing

D. CLASSIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. Permanent characteristics - found always in his handwriting.

2. Common or usual - found in a group of writers who studied the same system of writing.

3. Occasional - found occasionally in his handwriting.

4. Rare - special to the writer and perhaps found only in one or two persons in a group of one hundred
individuals.

E. HOW INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE ACQUIRED

1. Outgrowth of definite teaching

2. Result of imitation

3. Accidental condition or circumstances

4. Expression of certain mental and physical traits of the writer as affected by education, by environment
and by occupation.

F. EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. Hook to the right and hook to the left

2. Shape, position, size and angle of "i" dots "t" crossing

3. Idiosyncrasies- behavioural attributes

4. Bulbs and distinctive initial and final pen pressure

5. Embellishment, added strokes and free movement endings

6. Abbreviation of letters

7. Simple and compound curves and graceful endings

8. Labored movement producing ragged lines

9. Terminal shadings and forceful endings

10. Presence and influence of foreign writing, with the introduction of Greek "e"

Points to consider in examining extended writing (Anonymous, threat, poison letters)

1. Uniformity-Does the questioned writing have smooth, rhythmic and free-flowing appearance?

2. Irregularities - Does the questioned writing appear awkward, ill-formed slowly drawn

3. Size & Proportion- Determine the height of the over-all writing as well as the height of the individual
strokes in proportion to each other.

4. Alignment - Are they horizontally aligned, or curving, uphill or downhill.

5. Spacing - Determine the general spacing between letters, spacing between words. Width of the left
and right margins, paragraph indentations.

6. Degree of Slant-Are they uniform or not.

7. Formation and Design of the letters, "t" (-) bars, "i" dots, loops, circle formation.

8. Initial, connecting and final strokes.

Handprinting

The procedure and the principle involved are similar to that of cursive handwriting. In block
capital and manuscript writings, personal individual rests principally in design, selection, individual letter
construction, size ratios and punctuation habits. The initial step in handwriting examination is to
determine whether the questioned handwriting and standards were accomplished with:

1. A fluency of movement and a certainty of execution indicative of familiarity with and a

measure or skill in handwriting of conversely.

2. A conscious mental effort and non-rhythmic execution denoting either unfamiliarity with or
disguise in the subject's handwriting.
Module 3 Post-Test

Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer. Encircle the corresponding letter of your answer.

1. It is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as whole, combination of certain forms
of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued painstaking effort.

a. Writing b. Handwriting

c. Penmanship d. Signature

2. Refers to a group of muscles which push up the pen to form the upward strokes.

a. Flexure b. Extensor

c. Lumbricals d. Motor Coordination

3. A group of muscles which push the pen to form the downward strokes.

a. Flexure b. Extensor

c. Lumbricals d. Motor Coordination

4. The delicate way in which the various muscles used in writing work together to produce written form
is known as:

a. Flexure b. Extensor
c. Lumbricals d. Motor Coordination

5. Refers to the standard of handwriting instruction taught in particular school

a. Copy book Form b. Cursive Form

c. Block Form d. Script Form

6. Forms that look like arches rounded on the top and open at the bottom.

a. Arcade Form b. Cursive Form

c. Block Form d. Script Form

7. When a writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing habits in hopes of hiding his identity is
refers to:

a. Arcade Writing b. Altered Writing

c. Cursive Writing d. Disguised writing

8. Refers to the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental strokes, the curve and the straight
strokes.

a. Graphometry b. Graphoanalysis

c. Graphology d. Cacography

9. These characteristics refer to those habits are part of basic writing system or which that have only
slight identification value. are modifications of the system of writing found among so large a group of
writes

a. Writing Characteristics b. Class Characteristics

c. Individual Characteristics d. None of the above

10. They are characteristics which are the result of the writer's muscular control, coordination, age,
health, and nervous temperament, frequency of writing, personality and character.

a. Writing Characteristics b. Class Characteristics

c. Individual Characteristics d. None of the above