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
Which of the following best describes the 'cut-and-paste' method of document fraud in the digital age?
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.
What does 'shading' in handwriting analysis refer to?
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.
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?
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.
Which of the following is a limitation of handwriting comparison that an expert witness must acknowledge?
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.
Laser printer toner examination can help determine sequence of printing. Which technique is used for this purpose?
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.
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:
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.
Which international standard body has published guidelines most relevant to the scientific examination of questioned documents?
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.