forensic science 5

Due Date: 11:59 pm EST, Sunday of Unit 6 Points: 100 Overview: Document examiners can analyze and compare handwriting and signatures on questioned documents to exemplars of handwriting and signatures from a suspect in order to determine if the documents share common authorship. In this assignment you are going to take a look at your own handwriting to see what characteristics you have. Instructions:

• Write out a paragraph the way you usually write - print, cursive or a combination of print and cursive. If you do not want to make up a paragraph, you can copy one from a book or use the text from the “London Letter” (attached) which contains all the uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers.

• Take a look at the formations of your letters. Where do you see differences in the way that the letters are supposed to be formed vs. how you write them. You can use the attached document containing the Palmer, Zaner-Bloser and D’Nelian methods of handwriting to determine those differences.

• Try to find at least ten characteristics and circle them.

Requirements:

• Submit a Word document with the photograph of the handwritten paragraph with the circled characteristics.

Be sure to read the criteria below by which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.

CRJ180 – Introduction to Forensics

Handwriting Analysis

Evaluation Rubric for Handwriting Analysis Assignment

CRITERIA Deficient Needs Improvement

Proficient Exemplary

0 – 5 points 6 – 7 points 8 – 9 points 10 points Handwritting Sample

Handwriting sample not provided.

n/a n/a Handwriting sample provided.

0 – 53 points 54 – 71 points 72 – 89 points 90 points Analysis 5 or less

handwriting characteristics labeled.

6-7 handwriting characteristics somewhat clearly labeled.

8-10 handwriting characteristics mostly clearly labeled.

More than 10 handwriting characteristics clearly labeled.