CFC Document & Handwriting Analysis 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the 'cut-and-paste' method of document fraud in the digital age?
- Physically cutting text from one document and gluing it to another
- Digitally copying a signature or text from one file and inserting it into another PDF (Correct answer)
- Using scissors to remove a notary seal and reattaching it
- Photocopying a document to create a second original
Correct answer: Digitally copying a signature or text from one file and inserting it into another PDF
Modern cut-and-paste fraud involves digitally extracting elements (signatures, dates) from authentic documents and embedding them into fabricated ones.
Question 2: What does 'shading' in handwriting analysis refer to?
- The overall darkness of the writing on a page
- Variation in pen pressure creating thick and thin strokes within letters (Correct answer)
- The direction of pen strokes relative to the baseline
- Ink bleed-through visible from the reverse side of a page
Correct answer: Variation in pen pressure creating thick and thin strokes within letters
Shading refers to the variation between heavier (thick) and lighter (thin) strokes caused by differential pen pressure within individual letters.
Question 3: A forensic document examiner is asked to determine if two anonymous threatening letters were written by the same person. Which comparison approach is scientifically appropriate?
- Compare only capital letters since they have more variation
- Perform a comprehensive comparison of all available handwriting features (Correct answer)
- Rely primarily on overall impression and general appearance
- Limit analysis to spelling errors and vocabulary
Correct answer: Perform a comprehensive comparison of all available handwriting features
A comprehensive comparison of all available features—including letter forms, spacing, slant, pressure, and connectivity—yields the most scientifically defensible conclusion.
Question 4: Which of the following is a limitation of handwriting comparison that an expert witness must acknowledge?
- Handwriting comparison has no scientific basis
- Individual variation within a single writer can overlap with variation between writers (Correct answer)
- Known exemplars are never reliable for comparison
- Only fingerprint evidence is admissible alongside handwriting evidence
Correct answer: Individual variation within a single writer can overlap with variation between writers
The natural variation within one writer's samples can sometimes overlap with differences between two different writers, limiting certainty of conclusions.
Question 5: Laser printer toner examination can help determine sequence of printing. Which technique is used for this purpose?
- Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) (Correct answer)
- Iodine fuming
- Ninhydrin staining
- Silver nitrate solution
Correct answer: Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX)
SEM-EDX can detect elemental differences in toner compositions and examine layering at line intersections to determine print sequence.
Question 6: In a contested will case, the examiner finds that the testator's signature on the will shows tremor inconsistent with prior samples from the same period. This finding most supports:
- Genuine signing under emotional stress
- A forged or simulated signature (Correct answer)
- Natural aging of the writer's hand
- Pen malfunction during signing
Correct answer: A forged or simulated signature
Tremor inconsistent with contemporaneous known samples suggests the signature was produced by someone other than the purported writer attempting to simulate the signature.
Question 7: Which international standard body has published guidelines most relevant to the scientific examination of questioned documents?
- ASTM International (ASTM E444 and related standards) (Correct answer)
- ISO 9000 Quality Management
- IEEE Standards Association
- The American Bar Association
Correct answer: ASTM International (ASTM E444 and related standards)
ASTM International has published specific standards (e.g., E444, E1422) governing the examination and comparison of handwriting and questioned documents.
CFC Document & Handwriting Analysis 5
Which of the following best describes the 'cut-and-paste' method of document fraud in the digital age?