CHA Document Examination & Forensic Analysis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which analytical method is used to determine the age of ink on a document by measuring the rate of solvent evaporation?
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (Correct answer)
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
- Raman spectroscopy
- Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)
Correct answer: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
GC-MS can analyze ink solvent decay rates to help determine when an ink was applied to a document.
Question 2: In forensic handwriting analysis, 'fluency' refers to:
- The speed at which a person writes their signature
- The smoothness and continuity of pen movement during writing (Correct answer)
- The number of words written per minute
- The legibility of handwriting under magnification
Correct answer: The smoothness and continuity of pen movement during writing
Fluency describes the natural, uninterrupted flow of pen movement that characterizes genuine, practiced handwriting.
Question 3: A forensic examiner finds that a document's paper contains optical brightening agents (OBAs) not commercially available until 1990, yet the document is dated 1975. This indicates:
- The document is authentic but misdated
- The document may be backdated or fraudulent (Correct answer)
- OBAs were available before 1990 in specialty papers
- The paper was stored under UV light, creating OBAs
Correct answer: The document may be backdated or fraudulent
The presence of OBAs in paper predating their commercial introduction is a strong indicator of backdating or document fraud.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a 'natural variation' in handwriting that an examiner must account for?
- Deliberate changes in letter slant to avoid identification
- Minor differences in letter forms across multiple genuine signatures (Correct answer)
- Systematic addition of extra loops in all letters
- Tracing another person's signature exactly
Correct answer: Minor differences in letter forms across multiple genuine signatures
Natural variation refers to the inherent, minor inconsistencies in genuine handwriting that occur across multiple samples from the same writer.
Question 5: What is the purpose of examining 'staple holes' in a multi-page document during forensic analysis?
- To determine the paper's acid content
- To verify that pages have not been substituted or reordered (Correct answer)
- To identify the manufacturer of the stapler used
- To establish the writing pressure applied to the document
Correct answer: To verify that pages have not been substituted or reordered
Misaligned or non-matching staple holes can reveal that pages were removed and reinserted, indicating possible fraud.
Question 6: When a forger attempts a 'freehand simulation' of a signature, the most common detectable flaw is:
- Excessive pen pressure throughout the signature
- Tremor and unnatural pen lifts from slow, careful copying (Correct answer)
- Too many connecting strokes between letters
- Inconsistent baseline alignment
Correct answer: Tremor and unnatural pen lifts from slow, careful copying
Freehand simulations typically show tremor and hesitation because the forger must concentrate on reproducing unfamiliar forms slowly.
Question 7: A document examiner receives a photocopy for analysis. Which important limitation must be disclosed?
- Photocopies cannot be examined for any forensic purpose
- Ink dating and indented writing analysis cannot be performed on photocopies (Correct answer)
- Handwriting comparison is impossible on photocopies
- Photocopies always produce false positives for alterations
Correct answer: Ink dating and indented writing analysis cannot be performed on photocopies
Photocopies lack the original ink layer, making physical or chemical ink testing and ESDA indentation analysis impossible.
CHA Document Examination & Forensic Analysis 3
Which analytical method is used to determine the age of ink on a document by measuring the rate of solvent evaporation?