Document & Handwriting Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CFC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Document & Handwriting Analysis flashcards as text
A document allegedly signed in 1998 contains ink with a dye component first manufactured in 2005. What is the correct forensic conclusion?
Answer: The document is backdated
If an ink component did not exist at the purported document date, the document must have been created after that date, establishing backdating.
Which handwriting feature describes the overall size relationship between upper, middle, and lower zones of letters?
Answer: Zonal distribution
Zonal distribution refers to the relative heights of the upper (ascenders), middle (core), and lower (descenders) zones in handwriting.
What is the primary purpose of collecting 'request exemplars' (requested handwriting samples) from a suspect?
Answer: To get handwriting with known authorship under controlled conditions
Request exemplars provide authenticated handwriting of known origin under controlled conditions for scientific comparison.
Which alteration method is most commonly detected by examining a document under ultraviolet light?
Answer: Chemical eradication of ink
Chemical eradication often leaves a dulled or brightened area under UV light due to destruction of the paper's optical brighteners.
In the context of typewritten documents, what is 'type defect analysis'?
Answer: Identifying unique imperfections in type elements to link documents to a specific machine
Type defect analysis identifies unique damage or wear patterns on typewriter keys that can link a document to a specific machine.
Which term describes handwriting that has been deliberately changed to prevent identification of the true author?
Answer: Disguised writing
Disguised writing occurs when the true author intentionally alters their own natural writing habits to prevent attribution.
A forensic examiner finds staple holes in a contract that do not align with the holes in the attached exhibits. This observation suggests:
Answer: The documents were bound at different times
Misaligned staple holes indicate the pages were assembled and disassembled at different times, suggesting possible page substitution.