NOTES ON QUESTIONED DOCUMENT

The Role and Nature of Questioned Document in Police Work:

The document examiner has a dual objective. First, to discover the

facts and second, to prove the facts. The document examiner who would truly
serve the ends of justice must go to the witness stand fully prepared to
support this conclusion with testimony that is factual, clearly
understandable & persuasive. Expert testimony should be measured by its
conveyances.

With regard to handwriting, the document examiner should be furnished

by police investigation only those writings which can be proved to the
satisfaction of the court to be genuine writings.

The Examiner as a Part of the Investigative Team in Crime Detection and

Investigation:

The field of questioned examination is one of the three “I’s” of the

investigation of crime i.e. Instrumentation. Documents as evidence in
various cases specifically forgeries and the like are submitted to the
laboratory for the appropriate examination. Documents examiner who
scientifically studies the elements, nature and composition of documents
regards this field of expertise as one of the process of discovering and
proving facts for promoting justice law enforcement. One of the necessary
steps in the investigation is disputed documents is the accurate
determination of what the fact really is taken then comes the task of
proving the fact in court. The specialist or the document examiner will
provide in the name of justice testimony that will emulate the necessary
result of the examination. He should be accurate, fair and courageous. These
three words are basically the traits of a law enforcer and on which the
secure foundation of this profession is built. This profession has produced
men have nationally and worldwide influenced for the better administration
of justice. The outstanding reputation acquired for ability and honesty in a
particular field has always carried over to and filtered through the
thinking of those in related fields assisting them the better performance of
their work.

Questioned Document:

One in which the facts appearing therein are not true, and are
contested either in whole or in part with respect to its authenticity,
identity, or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will, election ballots,
marriage contract, checks, visas, application form, certificates, etc.

Document is questioned because its origins, its contents, or the

circumstance and story regarding its production arouse suspicion as to its
genuineness or it may adversely scrutinized simple because it displeases
someone.

Document is said to be questioned when it is disputed or attacked,

either in whole or in part as to its date or age, as to its source or origin,
as to the material used in their production, and as to its relation in some
other document.

Classes of Questioned Documents:

1. Documents with questioned signatures.

2. Documents containing alleged fraudulent alterations.
3. Questioned or disputed holographic wills.
a. Holographic Will – will entirely written in the handwriting of the
testator
b. Notarial Will – signed by the testator acknowledge before a notary
public with three witnesses
4. Documents investigated on the question of typewriting.
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 a. with a view of ascertaining their source
b. with a view of ascertaining their date
c. with a view of determining whether or not they contain fraudulent
alterations or substituted pages
5. Documents on issues of their age or date.
6. Documents on issues of materials used in their production.
7. Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that they
identify some persons through handwriting.
a. anonymous and disputed letters, and
b. Superscription, registrations and miscellaneous writings
8. Genuine documents erroneously or fraudulently altered or disputed.

Document:

Any material containing marks, symbols, or signs either visible,

partially visible that may present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone.
May be in the form of pencil, ink writing, typewriting, or printing on paper.

In the case of People vs. Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119, a document is any
written document by which a right is established or an obligation is
extinguished.

In the case of People vs. Nillosquin, CA, 48 O.G. 4453, a document is

every deed or instrument executed by person by which some disposition or
agreement is proved, evidenced or set forth.

Kinds of Documents:

Under the Philippine Law, the following are the four kinds of
documents:

1. Public Document – any instrument notarized by a notary public or

competent public official with solemnities required by law. (Cacnio vs.
Baens, 5 Phil. 742)

2. Official Document – any instrument issued by the government or its agents

or its officers having the authority to do so and the offices, which in
accordance with their creation, they are authorized to issue and be issued
in the performance of their duties.

3. Private Document – every deed or instrument executed by a private person

without the intervention of a notary public or of any person legally
authorized, by which documents, some disposition or agreement is proved,
evidenced or set forth.

4. Commercial Document – any instrument executed in accordance with the Code

of Commerce or any Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial
rights or obligations.

Note:

A private document may become a public or official document when it

partakes the nature of a public or official record. So if the falsification
committed on such document, that is, when it is already a part of the public
record, falsification of public or official document is committed. However,
if such private document is intended to become a part of the public record,
even though falsified prior thereto, falsification of a public document is
committed.

Standard Document:

Are condensed and compact set of authentic specimen which is adequate

and proper, should contain a true correction of the material form a known
source. They are used by the Document Examiner as the basis for his
identification or non-identification of the questioned document as, for
example, for the known handwriting which serves to establish who wrote the
disputed letter.
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Two Kinds of Standard Documents:

a. Procured or Collected – Those which are obtain from files of document

executed in the persons day to day business, official, social or personal
activities.

b. Requested – Those which are given or made upon the request of an

investigator for purpose of making comparative examination with the request
writing.

Writings which do not constitute documents:

Based on some Supreme Court rulings:

1. A draft of a municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper

authority.
(People vs. Camacho, 44 Phil. 484)

2. Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of which are not yet
filled up. (People vs. Santiago, CA, 48 O.G. 4558)

3. Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition or agreement are

not documents but are mere merchandise. (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945)

Subjects Considered in Questioned Document Exam:

1. Handwriting examination
a. examination of signatures and initials
b. examination of anonymous letters
c. hand printing examination
2. Typewriting examination
3. Examination of inks
4. Erasures, alterations or obliteration, etc.
5. Counterfeiting

DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Objectives:

a. The objective is to furnish the investigator in the field with

sufficient background information concerning document examination.
b. No attempt is made to provide detailed information sufficient to
qualify the investigator as an expert document examiner.

Importance/Significance:

a. In the commission of a crime, the criminal often finds necessary to

employ one or more documents in furtherance of his act.

b. In some crimes, such as forgery, the document is an integral part

of the crime.

c. In others, such as false claims against government, documents often

play an important part in proving the commission of the crime.

d. Proof of the fact that a document was altered or made by a

particular individual may show that:
1. He committed the crime.
2. He had knowledge of the crime.
3. He was present in a certain locality at a specified time.

Evidence that a document was not made by an authorized individual or

machine may prove it to be fraudulent. Latent fingerprints on documents are
of great value to the investigator.

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Purposes:

A document may be examined for a number of purposes including:

1. Identity of the author/maker/writer.
2. True contents of the documents.
3. Origin of the instrument or paper used in making the documents.
4. Alterations or erasures which have been made.
5. Authenticity of the document.

Logical Process of Inquiry in Document Examination:

An aware document expert must know that the first step in making over
a case to get the proper identification. The logical processes of inquiry
are:

1. Ascertain the facts: to select “questioned”, “denied”, or “admitted”,

“authentic”, and “doubtful” documents.
a. Concerning the document in questioned. Is only one signature is
question? Is any part of the document is question? Is the date of the
document in question? Is the paper or the typewriter used in the document in
question?
b. Regarding the standards.

1. Make sure that there are sufficient numbers of authentic documents for
comparison submitted. If there are inadequate standards, obtain more.

2. Determine whether the standards are authentic ones, on which a foundation

can be built for admitting them in evidence.

2. Analyze the details: synthesize the elements, date, circumstances,

conditions, technical problems and the like.

a. The examiner of the questioned documents, after ascertaining the

facts, should have detailed information as to the circumstances of the
document in questioned, the condition of an alleged writer, or of any
condition that may have affected the writing or any facts that are part of
the technical problem with the document that is submitted to the expert.

b. He should inquire about the circumstances and conditions as far as

the client knows, such as, was the document signed sitting on the wall, on
the lap, or lying in bed? Sitting in bed, lying on his back or side? For
example a document could have been signed in a moving automobile or while
having a drink at the bar.

3. Qualify the case:

How much time is needed for the examination? Is it possible to

complete the study from the original papers, or is it necessary to make
special photo-enlargements for proper examination? If it is possible to make
arrangements with the client for photo-enlargement, is it advisable to do so?
Photo-enlargements are always useful for demonstrating the reasons on which
the opinion is based, especially in court.

Scientific Method in Questioned Document:

The document examiners strive constantly for objectives and the

avoidance of personal bias. It orders knowledge, follows in logical
sequences. It classifies knowledge as the only systematic means to its
organization a deduction to matters of facts. It insists upon verification
as the most reliable form of proof. It utilizes observation or
experimentation designed expressly toward the control of variables. A
scientific method therefore consists of the following processes:

1. Analysis – properties of characteristics observed or measured.

2. Comparison – properties or characteristics of the unknown determined
thought analysis are now compared with the familiar or recorded properties
of known items.
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3. Evaluation – Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or
characteristics will each have a certain value for identification,
determined by its likelihood of occurrence. The weight or significance of
each must therefore be considered. The principle of identification requires
that when two items contain a combination of corresponding or similar and
specifically oriented characteristics of such number and significance as to
preclude the possibility of their occurrence by mere coincidence and there
are no unaccounted-for differences. It may be concluded that they are same
in their characteristics attributed to the same cause.

Instruments, Apparatus, Materials Used in Questioned Documents

I. SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS

1. Microscope- As it is well known, microscope is the instrument, which

makes it possible to see physical evidence directly that otherwise
might be impossible but its application to the investigation of
document is not well understood.
a. Stereoscopic microscope- provides a three- dimensional enlargement
which is important when searching for identifying characteristics is
typewriting samples, crossed strokes, erasures, alterations, and other
problem that require magnification.
b. Comparison microscope- allows side by side simultaneous comparison of
questioned and known samples under study. This feature eliminates the
reliance on memory to recall the identifying characteristics when
examining questioned and known material. It brings two separated
images into the same field of view in the eyepiece so that the
magnified images apparently lie side by side. This special microscope
was the first described as a color microscope but the many other uses
found for it led to the adoption of the more appropriate name by which
is now known.
c. Infrared image conversion microscope- it has become a standard tool in
well- equipped laboratories. This provides instant comparison of inks
and their ability to absorb to reflect infrared light and is a
valuable tool for the detection of alterations and comparison of inks.
2. Camera- a good quality copy camera will suffice for many document
problems. This camera should capable of photographing documents from 1
to 1 to 10 to 1 magnification and be able to photograph an entire
document or any portion thereof.
3. Typewriter Protractor- This is designed to show the exact abnormal
slant of certain letters in typewriting. This is delicate but
divergence in slant is one important work, which is sufficient
combination identify a piece of typewriting with absolute certainty.
4. Uniformed Ruler Squared on Glass, Lettered and Numbered- This is a
glass with uniform squares that can be placed over an alleged forgery
and a model from, which it is traced or over two alleged tracings from
the same original, to show suspicious identities that may exist, or,
in the small size, may be used to compare two enlarged typewritten
letters.
5. Typewriting Test Plate on Glass for Alignment and Line Spacing Test-
another useful instrument for typewriting examinations, which consists
of a glass carrying accurately graduated fine line squares, ten to the
inch, the spacing of ordinary typewriting.
6. Angle Measure- An instrument devised for the purpose of measuring
angels in handwriting and typewriting.
7. Magnifying Lens/ Hand Lens- is a convenient instrument which aids in
examination of almost as it enlarges the size of letter or character.
8. Shadowgraph- is a machine which enlarges minute details as much as
twenty times. This is use to facilitate examination of handwriting and
typewriting.
9. Transmitted Light Table- A “flood light” is sometimes all at once
thrown on a problem when investigated in this way and every document
that is suspected should be “seen through” in this manner.
10. Typewriter- is a machine that can reproduce printed characters on
paper. It has a keyboard

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HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION

Definition of Terms:

Writing – It is the result of a very complicated series of acts, being used

as whole, combination of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits
acquired by long, continued painstaking effort.

Handwriting – It is the visible effect of bodily movement which is an almost

subconscious expression of fixed mental expression of certain ideas
associated with script form.

Natural Handwriting – Any writing executed normally without any attempt to

control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality of execution.

Disguised Writing – A writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing
habits in hope of hiding his identity, writing skill is poorer, change in
slant, size, altered or capital letters.

Stroke – Series of lines or curves written in a single letter. One of the

lines of an alphabet or series of lines or curves within a single letter.
The path traced by the pen on the paper.

Terminology Concerning Stroke characteristics:

Arc/Arch – a curved formed inside the top curve of loop, as in small letters
“h”, ‘m”, “n”, “p”.

Ascender – is the top portion of a letter or upper loop.

Baseline – maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be imaginary alignment

of writing. Is the ruled or imaginary line upon which the writing rest.

Beaded – preliminary embellished initial stroke which usually occurs in

capital letter.

Beard – is the rudimentary initial up stroke of a letter.

Blunt – the beginning and ending stroke of a letter. (without hesitation)

Body – the main portion of the letter, minus the initial of stroke. Terminal
strokes and the diacritic of any. Example: the oval of the letter “O” is the
body, minus the downward stroke and the loop.
Bowl – a fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter complete into “O”.

Buckle/Buckle Knot – a loop made as a flourished which is added to the

letters, as in small letter “k’ and “a” or in capital letters “A”, “K”, “P”.
The horizontal end loop stroke that are often used to complete a letter.

Cacography – a bad writing

Calligraphy – the art of beautiful writing

Descender – opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a letter.

Diacritic – “t” crossing and dots of the letters “I” and “j”. The matters of
the Indian script are also known as diacritic signs. An element added to
complete a certain letter, either a cross bar or a dot.

Ending/Terminate Stroke of Toe – the end stroke of a letter.

Eye/Eyelet/Eye Loop – a small loop or curved formed inside the letters. This
may occur inside the oval of the letters “a”, “d”, “o”. The small loop form
by stroke that extend in divergent direction as in small letters.

Foot – the lower parts which rest on the base line. The small letter “m” has
three feet, and the small letter “n” has two feet.
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Habits – any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize
writing.

Hesitation – the term applied to the irregular thickening of ink which is

found when writing slows down or stop while the pen take a stock of the
position.

Hiatus/Pen Jump – a gap occurring between continuous strokes without lifting

the pen. Such as occurrence usually occurs due to speed.

Hook – it is a minute curve or an ankle which often occurs at the end of the
terminal strokes. It is also sometimes occurred at the beginning of an
initial stroke. The terminal curves of the letters “a”, “d”, “n”, “m’, “p”,
“u’, are the hook. In small letter “w” the initial curve is the hook. The
minute involuntary talon like formation found at the commencement of an
initial up stroke or the end terminal stroke.

Hump – upper portion of its letter “m”, “n”, “h”, “k”. The rounded outside
of the top of the bend stroke or curve in small letter.

Knob – the extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal stroke due to
the slow withdrawal of the pen from the paper. (Usually applicable to
fountain pen)

Ligature/Connection – the strokes which connect two strokes of letter,

characterized by connected stroke between letters.
Long Letter – those letters with both upper and lower loops.

Loop – an oblong curve such as found on the small letters “f”, “go”, “l” and
letters stroke “f” has two. A loop maybe blind or open. A blind loop is
usually the result of the ink having filled the open space.

Majuscule – a capital letter

Minuscule – a small letter.

Movement Impulses – this refer to the continuity of stroke force writing is

usually produced by disconnected and broken movements more motion or
movement impulses than genuine writing.

Oval – the portion of the letter which is oval in shape. The small letter
stroke “a”, “d”, “g”, and “q” contain oval letter “a”, “t” while coming
down……….

Patching/Retouching – retouching or going back over a defective portion of a

written stroke. Careful patching is common defect on forgeries.

Pen Lift – an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the writing

instrument from the paper. Disconnection between letters and letter
combination maybe due to lack of movement control. Using a ball-point pen
may cause pen lift due to the failure of the ball to rotate.
Pen Position or Pen Hold – Is the relative location of the pen in relation
to the paper surface which can be determined by the presence of the emphasis
or pen shading.

Pen Scope – Represents the reach of the hand with the wrist at rest. It is
the average scope or limits of the pen during the process of writing with
the wrist of the hand at still.

Retrace/Retracing – any part of a stroke which is super imposed upon the

original stroke. Is the stroke which goes back over other writing strokes;
it is slightly to occur in others handwriting. Example: vertical strokes of
the letter “d”, “t” while coming downward from the top to bottom will have a
retracing stokes. Any stroke which goes back over another writing stroke. In
natural handwriting there may be instances in which the pen doubled back
over the course.
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Shoulder – outside portion of the top curve, small letter “m” has three
shoulders and the small letter “n” has two, the small letter “h” has one
shoulder.

Spur – a short initial or terminal stroke.

Staff – Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the long downward
stroke of the letter “b”, “g”.

Stem or Shank – the upright long downward stroke that is the trunk or stalk,
normally seen in capital letters.

Tick/ Hitch – any short stroke, which is usually at the top of the letters.

Tremor – a writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes is

described as writing tremor.

Other Terminology Related to Handwriting Examination:

Alignment – is the relation of parts of the whole of writing or line of

individual letters in words to the baseline. It is the alignment of words.
The relative alignment of letters.

Characteristics – is any property or marks which distinguish and in document

examination commonly called to as the identifying details.

Kinds of Characteristics:

Class characteristics – are properties of handwriting that are common to a

number of writers and may result from such influences as the writing system
studied, family associations, trade training, or foreign education as well
as careless and haste execution. Not all characteristics encountered in
document examination are peculiar to a single person or thing and one which
is common to a group may be described as class characteristics.

Individual or Personal Characteristics – characteristics which is highly

personal or peculiar and it is unlikely to occur in other instances.

Collation – side by side comparison. Collation as used in this text means

the critical comparison on side-by-side examination.

Comparison – the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh
their identifying qualities. It refers not only a visual but also the mental
act in which the element of one item is related to the counterparts of the
other.

Disguised Writing – a writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing
habits in hopes of hiding his identity. The result regardless of their
effectiveness is termed disguised writing.

Examination – it is the act of making a close and critical study of any

material and with questioned document, Is the process necessary to discover
the facts about them. Various types are undertaken including microscopic,
visual photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra-red examination.

Graphoanalysis – the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental

strokes, the curve and the straight

Graphometry– analysis by comparisons and measurement.

Graphology – the art of determining character disposition and amplitude of a

person from the study of handwriting.

Line quality – is the overall character of the inks lines from the beginning
to the ending strokes.
Two classes:
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 a. Good line quality
b. Poor line quality

Microscopes Examination – any study or examination which is made with the

microscope in other to discover minute details.

Movement – Is an important element in handwriting. It embraces all the

factors which are related to the motion of the writing instrument skill,
speed freedom, hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremors and the like. The
manner in which the writing instrument is move that is by finger, hand,
forearm or whole arm.

Natural Writing – any specimen of writing executed normally without any

attempt to control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or
execution.

Natural Variation – these are normal or usual deviations found between

repeated specimens of any individual handwriting.

Opinion – in legal language, the Document Examiner’s conclusion. Actually,

in court, he not only expresses an opinion but demonstrate the reasons for
arriving at this opinion. Though this book, opinion and conclusion are used
synonymously.

Proportion or Ratio – is the relation between the tall and the short letter
is referred as to the ratio of writing.

Pen Pressure – the average force with which the pen contacts the paper may
be estimated from the examination of the writing. Pen pressure as opposed to
pen emphasis deals with the usual of average force involved in the writing
rather than the period increases.

Pen Emphasis – the act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper
surfaces with increase pressure. When the pen point has flexibility, this
emphasis produces shading, but with more rigid writing points heavy point
emphasis can occur in writing without any evidence of shading.

Pen Pressure – the average force with which the pen contacts the paper or
the usual force involves in writing. This is one of the most personal but
somewhat hidden characteristics in writing.

Ratio of Writing – it is the relationship between the heights of the short

letters.

Rhythm – is the element of the writing movement which is marked by regular

or periodic recurrences. It may be classed as smooth, intermittent, or jerky
in its quality. The flourishing succession of motion which are recorded in a
written record.

Shading – is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a
flexible pen point or to the use of a stub pen.

Skill – in any set there are relative degrees or ability or skill and a
specimen of writing usually contains evidence of the writer’s proficiency.

Slope/Slant – is the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters

relative to the baseline.
Three Classes:
a. Slant to the left
b. Slant to the right
c. Vertical slant

Speed of Writing – not every one writer as the same rate so that
consideration of the speed of writing may be a significant identifying
element. Writing speed cannot be measured precisely form the finished
handwriting but can be interpose in broad terms of slow, moderates, or rapid.

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BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Handwriting:

In Wignore’s Principles of judicial proof, handwriting is defined as a

visible effect of bodily movement which is an almost unconscious expression
of fixed muscular habits, reacting from fixed mental impression of certain
ideas associated with script form.

Environment, education and occupation affect individuals so variously

in the information of this muscular habit that finally the act of writing
becomes an almost automatic succession of acts stimulated by this habit.
Thus, a person’s style or writing in most details becomes as fixed as the
habit and serve as a continuous inseparable mark of that one person.

The imitation of the style of writing by another person becomes

difficult because the other person cannot by mere will power reproduce in
himself all the muscular combination which from the habit of the first
writer.

Physiological Basis of Handwriting:

The impulse to from a letter begins in the brains writing center in

the cortex. This center is skin to brain areas control visions, hearing,
taking and walking, guides the muscles as they weave the complex movements
that make the words. Since writing in the mind, emotion and attitudes both
path of the mind, influence how we write just as they influence how we walk
and talk.

In writing the pen functions as an extension of the hand. The fingers

transmit to the paper, the directive impulse and the variation in muscular
tension that according to the nature of the writer’s nervous organization
occur during the act of writing.

Hence as each writer has his own way of holding his hand, manipulating
the pen, and exerting pressure, the same pen in different hands will produce
entirely different strokes.

This center near the motor area of the cortex responsible for the
finger movement involved in handwriting. The importance of this center is
that when it becomes diseased as in a graphic, one loses the ability to
write although he could still grasp a fountain pen, ball pen or pencil.
Thus the ability or power to hold a fountain pen or pencil to from
symbols and words can be said to emanate from its cortical center.

The hands contain two kinds of muscles which function is in the act of
writing. A group of extensor muscles push up the pen to form the upward
strokes and ease the tension produced as a result of flaxen by a group of
muscle called the flexor muscles which push the pen to from the downward
strokes.

This flexor and extensor muscles combined with numerical muscle to

form lateral strokes.

Generally speaking, four groups of muscles are employed in writing.

Those which operate the joints of the fingers, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
The delicate way in which the various muscles used in writing work together
to produce written from is known as motor coordination.

Kinds of Writing Movements:

1. Finger Movement – Is mostly employed in “vertical writing” and mainly in

the formation of printed styles of writing. Letters are formed by the
actions of the thumb, index and the middle finger. This is the movement
employed by children, or generally by those with whom writing is an
unfamiliar process, it is otherwise called as the “push and Pull writing”.
Characteristics:
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 a. It results to an inferior or poor quality of writing with lack of
rhythm and speed.
b. Spacing is cropped up and the dashes are usually absent.
c. Finishes are done in irregular and abrupt manner or are varied
between letters.
d. Pen usually starts resting on the paper and ends with short and
abrupt strokes due to limited and irregular movements of the fingers.
e. Shading is pronounced.
f. Lack of clear-cut, smooth and regular lines.

2. Hand Movement – It involves the action of the hand as a whole with the
fingers playing but a minor role (mainly in the formation of small letters)
and the wrist is the pivotal of the lateral movement.
Characteristics:
a. Affords more expensive writing.
b. Narrow connections at the top and bottom of letters.
c. There is a considerable speed in movements.
d. More regularity of the lines.

3. Forearm (or Muscular) Movement – Writing is produced by the movement of

the hand and arm and also fingers in some cases. The elbow is the pivotal of
the lateral movement.
Characteristics:
a. Shows the greatest freedom and speed.
b. Smooth clear cut as indicative of rhythm.
c. Slight shading is produced.
d. More even baseline.
e. Lateral movements in longer making the shifting of the writing hand
fewer.
f. Uniformity in size of letters.
This movement once used in imitation of genuine writing will make
difficulties in its examination.

4. Whole Forearm Movement – It involves the action of the entire arm without
rest and is employed in very large writing. Ornamental penmanship,
blackboard writing, and by a few writers in making all the capital letters
are some of the writings where this movement is being employed.

A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the

subjective mind but the hand does not always produce a stereotype duplicate
of that pattern. This is due to extraneous influences such as fatigue, lack
of nervous tone, or muscular coordination, sickness and the like.

The hand ordinarily is not an instrument of precision and therefore we

may not expect every habitual manual operation to be absolutely uniform. The
greater this skill in the art of penmanship, the less the various there will
be in the form of individualize letters as well as in the writing as a whole.

Kinds of Writing:

1. Cursive – connected writing

2. Script – separated writing
3. Block – capitalized writing

Development of Writing:

1. Children learn writing by following the school copy model.

2. After acquiring some degree of skill the children no longer follow the
school model.

3. As speed increasing, conscious design and regularity begin to breakdown.

4. In the course of trial and error, modification are made, simplification
and elaboration, addition and omission occur.
The writing pattern of each child embodies a unique combination of
such deviation from the standard letter forms or school model, and becomes
his personal habits.

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 Although, thousands learn the same system and that the natural result
is identity, but facts show that it is not because those who were taught the
dame system or school copy a class of writes, but such impairs does not by
any means produce a slavish uniformity.
Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues till each
writer in the way that seems best and easiest to him. No two persons write
exactly alike and no reproduction of a handwritten document can duplicate
completely all the detailed of the original writing.

Handwriting Problems:

1. A signature contested by its author which in reality is genuine and

corresponds perfectly to the ordinary and habitual signatures of that person.
2. A signature contested by its author which in reality was written by him
but in a way which was different from the ordinary manner and which is more
or less different from the common genuine signatures of that person.

3. A signature contested by its author which in reality was written by a

third person and which is a forgery written in an attempted imitation of a
model.

4. A spurious signature written by somebody who did not attempt to imitate

the signature of a person and who uses a fictitious name and this to give
his work the appearance of a signature.

5. An uncontested signature, in fact, genuine but written by an unknown

person whose name must be deciphered by the document examiner.

Writing Habits:

Writing by all its thousand of peculiarities in combination is the

most personal and individuals thing a man does that leaves a record which he
can seen and studies. This is what constitutes individuality in handwriting.

Writing habits learned in the early years are those habits which are
part of a basic system or which are modifications of the system of writing
found among so large a group of writers that they have only slight
identification value. These might include an open top ”O” and an ”A” or a
looped “T” which occur in many rapid careless handwriting.

A few of these early habits learned by the child are those slant of
letters “l”, “d”, “b”, “g”, “t” with small letters like letters “n”, “m”,
“I”, “o”, “e” and also form and design of letters. These groups of habits
are also called general or class characteristics.

Another group of writing characteristics or habits is termed

individuals habits. Any writing habit or character in writing maybe modified
and individualized by different writers in many different ways in many
varying degrees and the writing individuality of any particular writer is
made up of all those common and uncommon characteristics and habits.

It is always in the combination of particulars that identifies and

necessarily the more numerous and usual the various elements and features,
the more certain and identity. No two persons write alike.

An individual characteristic maybe the survival of an error when

writing was learned. An individual characteristic maybe caused by the
conscious influence of the writing of other that we frequently see.

Various individual characteristics in writing also grow out of the

purpose for which writing is used and the amount of writing done. One who
writes much will develop many individual qualities while the one who does
practically no writing will continue to write the general system acquired in
school.

Thus, in the development of writing, basic forms or school copy or

system of writing, are imposed upon the writer. And later, after a degree of
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manipulative skill has been acquired, writers refashion these basic forms in
his own individual way.

He develops a personal style in his writing which becomes as fixed as

the habit in most details and serve as a continuous inseparable mark of that
one person.

Significance of school Copy Forms or Systems Characteristics as Basic in the

Identification of Handwriting:

1. Similarities of form are not indicative of identity unless they concern

unusual form or what are termed deviations from the normal. Similarities are
bound to occur in different writings but such similarities exist only in
letters which are normal in form, the fact bears no significance.

2. All differences in form are indicated of non-identity.

3. The likeness in form maybe general and simply indicate the class or genus
or the difference that does not differentiate maybe nearly superficial.

4. In many systems of writing, the date and influences of system of writing

have an important bearing on the question of genuine or of forgery and in
other cases, the presence of European characteristics in handwriting is a
vital and controlling fact.
Stroke:

A stroke is the path traced by the pen on the paper. It should be

observed whether the course of the strokes is continuous or broken. The pen
stroke is the visual record of the writing movement.

Qualities of the Strokes:

1. Expansion – whether the movement is extended or limited in its range with

respect to both vertical and horizontal dimension.

2. Coordination – whether the flow of movement is controlled or uncertain,

smooth or jerky, continuous or interrupted.

3. Speed – whether the movement has been rapid or slow and whether the space
has been steady or variable.

4. Pressure – whether the pressure exerted in the movement on its upward and
downward reach.

5. Direction – Leftward or rightward trend of they movement and its upward

and downward reach.

6. Rhythm – In the sequence of movements that wave the total pattern,

certain similar phases recur at more or less regular interval.

Motor Coordination:

The special way in which the various muscles used in writing work
together to produced written forms. Generally speaking, four groups of
muscles are employed in writing. Those which operate respectively the joints
of the finger, wrist, elbow and shoulder.

Characteristics of Motor Coordination:

1. Free, smelt rounded curve.

2. Gradual changes of directions.
3. Pressure is always in a state of change, moving from light to heavy or
from heavy to light.
4. Speed
5. The shading impulse is distributed over a considerable length of the line
whereas in writing produced with a slow motion as in the finger movement,

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the shading often has a “bunchay” appearance, in which the maximum width of
the shaded line is attained abruptly.

Rhythm in Handwriting:

Rhythm is a succession of connected, uniform strokes working in full

coordination. Manifested by clear-cut accentuated strokes which increase and
decrease in which like perfect cones. Pressure is always in a state of
change moving from light to heavy or from heavy to light.

Lack of Rhythm:

Characterized by a succession of awkward, independent, poorly directed

and disconnected motions.

Importance of Rhythm:

By studying the rhythm of the succession of strokes, one can determine

if the writer normally and spontaneously or write with hesitation as if he
is attempting to for another signature.

Letter of Connections:

Determine the essential expression of the writing pattern. It is mean

indicator of the neuro-muscular function. Words are form by connection
letters to one another.

Even letters are formed by the joining of the upward and downward
strokes. These types of connections are:

1. Arcade – a rounded stroke shaped like an arch. It is a slow mode of

connection resulting from controlled movements.

2. Garland – links the downward stroke to the upstrokes with a flowing curve
swinging from left to right. It is an easy, effortless mode of connection,
written with speed.

3. Angular Connective Form – where the downward strokes and upward strokes
meet directly, angular connection are formed. These types of connection
impose a check on the continuity of movement characterized by an abrupt stop
and start each turning point.

4. The Threadlike Connective Form – the joining of downward and upward

strokes is slurred to a threadlike tracing or where rounded turns used at
both top and bottom produce a double curve. These forms appear both in the
shaping of letters within the word.

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Course Facilitator: Jeremiah P. Lopate
THE COURSE FACILITATOR ENCOURAGES THE STUDENTS TO DO FURTHER RESEARCHES AND HAVE MORE READINGS
RELATED TO THE SUBJECTS TO LEARN MORE.