Handwriting basics
What controls handwriting: the hand or the brain?
The brain (muscle memory).
What is “slant” in handwriting?
The angle of letters leaning left, right, or upright.
What are known writing samples used for comparison called?
Exemplars
Which type of forgery involves tracing another person’s writing?
Tracing forgery
what does vsc stand for
video spectral comparator
True or False: No two people have identical handwriting.
True
What does “baseline alignment” refer to?
How writing sits on, above, or below the writing line.
What are collected exemplars?
Samples of written work
Which forgery involves slowly copying letter shapes?
Simulated forgery
Which device reveals indentations on pages beneath writing?
Esda
Why does handwriting vary slightly every time you write?
Changes in speed, mood, stress, or fatigue.
How can pen pressure help identify a writer?
Pressure habits are consistent and hard to disguise.
What are requested exemplars?
Samples written under investigation
Which forgery involves imitating writing in your own style?
Freehand forgery
What technique separates ink into dye components for comparison?
Chromatography
What term describes the unique way a person writes that makes handwriting individual?
Individual characteristics
If writing slopes downward across the page, what may that indicate?
Stress, fatigue, or lack of focus.
Why must multiple samples be collected
To observe natural variation
Which type of forgery is easiest to detect because of shaky, uneven strokes?
Tracing
How do IR/UV lights help in document analysis?
They show ink differences and alterations that the eye cannot see.
Why is handwriting considered an individual characteristic rather than class evidence? It is learned behavior that becomes uniquely patterned.
It is learned behavior that becomes uniquely patterned.
Why are loops in letters (g, y, f) useful for comparison?
Loop shapes reflect personal stroke habits that are unique.
Why must exemplars match the timeframe of the questioned document?
Handwriting changes over time
Why is perfect handwriting imitation nearly impossible
Handwriting motion depends on unique muscle memory.
Which federal agency maintains the U.S. ink database?
The secret service