Questioned Document Examination

Module 4: Standard or Exemplar Page 1 of 12

Module 4: Standard or Exemplar

WELCOME CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS

I. INTRODUCTION:
This module discusses the handwriting exemplars as used by a document examiner in determining
the writing habits of an individual. Ideally, the exemplars will provide an adequate picture of the writer's
habits such that a meaningful comparison can be conducted with the questioned material.
II. OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Identify the types of handwriting standards.

2. Recognize the basic way in obtaining standards for comparison.
3. Enumerate the sources of signatures written in the course of daily affairs

III. PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES:

Before you proceed to the main lesson, Read the summary of the video.
Source: https://youtu.be/Jj6GMS9Wj28

Examining Fraudulent Documents

Examining fraudulent documents forged,

altered, fabricated and other suspicious documents
are regularly encountered in fraud cases. Most
businesses, legal issues or financial transactions
will produce a substantial amount of paper including
contracts agreements wills order forms invoices and
statements. These documents can be evidence in
establishing that a fraud was committed in
determining the nature and scope of the fraud and
in identifying the parties responsible.
Recognizing phony documents forensic
document examiner's apply scientific methods and
use a variety of technical instruments in conducting Fig 1 = Fraudulent
examinations and comparisons of documents. Source: https://youtu.be/Jj6GMS9Wj28
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Individual minute characteristics in handwriting and typewriting are examined and compared with genuine
comparison standards. Detailed analyses are made of document features for proof of changes or modifications.
Instruments used include sensitive measuring devices, low-power magnifying glasses, several types of microscopes,
ultraviolet and infrared lighting, optical filters micro and macro photography, computerized image enhancement
systems, sensitive instruments to detect faint indented writings and numerous others.
Various chemical analyses are also conducted. Identifying writings each person's writings contain a unique
and identifiable combination of acquired individual personal characteristics and shared class characteristics. In fact
individuals writing skills vary considerably due to their differing physical and mental capabilities and these differences
between individuals increase with age physical development and the acquisition of skills, differing aesthetic values,
differences in education and differences in the personal and professional usage of writing.
Forensic document examiners are trained and experienced in examining and comparing writings and
assessing this combination of individual and class characteristics in making expert determinations of identity or non-
identity class characteristics forensic experts should not be misled in developing suspects by mistaking similar class
care characteristics in different writing samples.

GREAT!!!
You may now proceed to the main lesson.

IV. LESSON PROPER

Based on the preliminary activities, what are fraudulent

documents?
____________________________________________
CONGRATULATIONS!
You may now proceed to the lesson.

LET’S BEGIN!
STANDARDS OR EXEMPLAR
Standards, they are known writings which indicated how a person writes. A writer manifests fixed habits in
his writing that identify him. This fact provides the basis for an opinion of conclusion regarding any writing identification
problem.
Exemplar, a specimen of the writing of suspects are commonly known as exemplars. The term standards is
a general term referring to all authenticated writings on the suspects questionable while exemplars refers more
especially to a specimens of standard writing offered in evidence or obtained or request for comparison with the
questioned writing.
Sample-a selected representative portion of the whole is known as a sample. In this text, the term "sample"
follows closely the statistical usage.
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TYPES OF HANDWRITING "STANDARDS"

1. Collected Standards are known (genuine) handwriting of an individual such as signature and endorsement on
cancelled checks, legal papers letters, commercial, official, public and private document and other handwriting such
as letters, memoranda, etc. written in the course of daily life, both business and socials.
2. Requests Standards are signatures or other handwritings (or hand printings) written individual upon requests for
the purpose of comparison with other handwriting or for specimen purposes.

A. TYPES OF STANDARD DESIRABLE FOR COMPARISON USE IN THE TWO MOST COMMON TYPES OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT PROBLEMS.
1. Submit collected and request standards signature from both individual case.
2. When anonymous letter writings other than signature are in questioned:
a. Submit request standard writings of general nature from both victim and suspect's (as much standards
writing as possible to obtain within reason)
b. Submit request standards of the questioned text written or printed at least three writings by the suspect/s
and some instance by the victim.
B. SUGGESTED PROCEDURE FOR TAKING REQUEST HANDWRITING STANDARDS IN ALL TYPES OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT PROBLEMS
1. Have subject sealed in a natural position at table or desk having smooth writing surface.
2. Furnish subject with paper and writing instrument similar to those used in questioned writings, lie; paper should
be home size, and ruled and unruled; as questioned subject with pen and ink.
3. Never permit the subject to see any writing on the questioned document.
4. Dictate material to be written (or printed, if questioned material is hand printed): give no assistance in spelling
or arrangement on page. Dictate at a rate of speed which will produce the subject natural writing habits. Too
slow dictation will enable subject to attempt disguise. Too rapid dictation will not produce normal writing.
5. Remove each specimen upon completion by subject number in consequence, date, time and identify by initiating
each, and request subject to sign each specimen.
6. Observe all writing done by subjects and indicate any attempt of disguise, as well as whether subject appears
to be normally right of left handed, etc.

C. SPECIAL PROCEDURE FOR TAKING REQUEST HANDWRITING STANDARDS WHERE CHECKS

FORGERY IS CHANGED OR SUSPECTED.
1. Furnish subjects with check blanks similar to the questioned check/s
2. Dedicate the entries to be made on specimen checks as follows:
a. Date- same as showed as questioned check.
b. Payee -do-
C. Amount--do-
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d. Signature -do-
e. Any other handwriting shown on questioned check.
3. Give subject to help or suggestions in completing specimen checks.
D. MISCELLANEOUS
1. The laboratory should be informed of the age apparent health and physical condition of time standards are
written.
2. Do not fold, staple or pin documents; handle questioned document with care.
3. Indicate in the sample handwriting the time, place, date, signature of the writer as well as witness of the
handwriting. standard specimen
E. SOURCES OF SIGNATURES WRITTEN IN THE COURSE OF DAILY AFFAIRS
1. Cancelled checks
2. Signature cards for saving, checking and charge accounts and safe deposit boxes.
3. Signed receipts for telegrams, special delivery or registered letters, express and store packages, etc.
4. Business and personal letters.
5. Credit application and cards.
6. Signature on sales slip, on job order slips, requisition slips and purchase slips.
7. Lease, mortgages, agreement, bill of sale, contract, deeds, notes stock certificates and transfers and other
legal or business documents.
8. Court records and affidavit, such as naturalization papers, bankruptcy proceedings, divorce papers.
Probated wills and state files, powers or attorney, etc.
9. Passport, marriage applications, license and affidavits.
10. Driver automobile chauffeur and other types of licensee applications.
11. Application for gas, electricity, water and telephone services.
12. Loan application and receipts
13. Tax return of affidavits
14. Insurances and license applications
15. Records from currency exchanges, check-cashing agencies and pawnshop.
16. Time sheets, payroll, pay receipts and personal forms.
17. Barangay registration, petitions.
18. Relief, unemployment and old age compensation records
19. Signature for certain drug purchases, hotel registrations
20. Church, club and professional record
21. Veteran records
22. Fingerprint records
23. School or university class records and cards
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24. Application for clearance like in the office of the municipal and city courts, city fiscal's office, police
departments, office of the NBI and other government and private offices.
25. Application for fire arms and licenses.
26. Application for commission and enlistment in the AFP and foreign armed forces offices
27. Application for export and import and dollar allocations
28. ID cards
29. Application for right like water rights, copyrights, patents, franchises, etc.

III. HOW TO PREPARE AND COLLECT HANDWRITING STANDARDS

BASIC POINTS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN OBTAINING STANDARDS

A. THE AMOUNT OF STANDARD WRITTEN-Good writing standards should be sufficient to, define accurately both
the identifying habits as well as the kind and extent of variation typical of the writers handwriting under any specific
writing condition. (Hilton)
1. At least ten to twenty five signatures.
2. Writing- usually four or five pages of natural writing.
B. SIMILARITY OF SUBJECT MATTER. The style of writing contained in the standard or exemplars should be similar
to the style of the questioned writings. If the questioned writings are hand printed, then get hand printed standard or
exemplar.
1. Compare conventional copy book from conventional to the copy-book form of standard; and compare highly
individualized questioned signature with highly individualized standard signatures.
2. Extend writing - determined whether the questioned writing is purely cursive or script or block or combination
of three or two styles of writing.
C. RELATIVE DATES OF QUESTIONED AND THE STANDARDS-writing standard signatures or writing must be
those written five years before or five or five years after the date of the questioned signature or writing. The ideal
standards are those before, on and after the date of the questioned writing. The interval of years between the
questioned and standards should not be exceed more than five years.

Importance of Contemporaneous Standards are:

1. Helps to determine or trace gradual changes on one's handwriting or signature.
2. Aids in tracing the development of any writing variation.

D. CONDTION UNDER WHICH BOTH THE QUESTIONED AND THE STANDARD ARE PREPARED. If the
questioned handwriting is executed under abnormal conditions, it is necessary to look for standards prepared under
comparable circumstances such as; paper rested on the knee; standing; sitting; lying down; and/or while on moving
vehicle.
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E WRITING INSTRUMENT AND PAPER. Same instrument used in the preparation of the questioned document must
be obtained in the standards. If the signature was written by ball pen in ruled paper and above a type written name,
standard prepared under similar conditions should be selected. If the questioned handwriting was written by a pencil,
then standard written should be contemporaneous with the standard exemplars.

IV.HANDWRITING/SIGNATURES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE

Some problems are complicated and harder to solve. This includes the following:
1. Signature of the careless or highly erratic writer-collected standards
2. Receipt signature-other receipt signatures
3. Near-illiterate writer requested standards if writer is still living
4. Signatures of physical impaired writer
5. The intoxicated signature- collect standards written in the same situation.
6. Old age deterioration- collect two or three times more standards.
7. The sick bed signature-similar to the old age deterioration.
8. Disguised signature or writing- Specimen written in normal condition could not be used therefore consider
collected and requested standards.

V. DISGUISES IN HANDWRITING
A. COMMON DISGUISES
1. Abnormally large writing
2. Abnormally small writing
3. Alteration in slant (usually in backhand)
4. Usually variation in slant within a single unit of writing (within a single signature)
5. Printed forms instead of cursive forms
6. Diminution in the usual speed of writing
7. Unusual widening or restriction of lateral spacing.

B. KINDS OF DISGUISES
1 Change of Slant-from right to left of vice versa.
2. Change of Letter, either from cursive to block style or vice versa
3. Change of Cursive (conventional style) to block from or vice versa
4. Change of Style from small to big or vice versa
5. Deteriorating one's handwriting
6. Using the wrong hand or the person maybe
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VI. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL IN HANDWRITING

A. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFECTS. Intoxication affects the physiological being of an individual; the manner
of handwriting is also affected.
B. EVIDENCE OF ALCOHOLIC INTOXICATION IN HANDWRITING
1. Bizarre letter forms
2. Greatly enlarged writing
3. Illegible forms and writing generally
4. Uneven baseline
5. Meaningless blobs or extraneous strokes in the writing
6. Inconsistency in slant of writing
7. Inconsistency in the form of repeated letters.

VIl. ADMISSIBILITY OF STANDARD WRITINGS - Standard used by the document examiner in an identification
writings on which the document examiner bases his conclusion cannot be introduced, then the document
examiner may not be able to provide convincing or his testimony may be weakened.

THE FOLLOWING ARE STANDARD WRITING WHICH ARE ADMISSIBLE FOR COMPARISON
PURPOSES:
1. Standard writing witnessed
2. Standard writings admitted - if the party whom a handwriting standard is to be admitted, the genuiness of
the standards, the court could hold that further proof of genuiness is unnecessary.
3. Record maintained in regular course of business as standard writings generally, the context of records
maintained in the regular course of business are admissible as an example to the hearsay rule, as proof
of their contents.
4. Government document as standard writings signatures of government officials on document treated as
authentic and produced from official archives maybe admitted in evidence as standard of comparison.
5. Ancient writings the courts have admitted writings on ancient document as standard for comparison.
6. Familiarity sometimes establishes standard writings - testimony to the genuiness of a collection of standard
of writings by witnesses who are familiar with a person’s handwriting.

We had just finished the discussion on standard or

exemplar. Let’s move on to the next higher level of activity/ies
or exercise/s that demonstrate your potential skills/knowledge
of what you have learned.
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V. ANALYSIS, APPLICATION AND EXPLORATION

ACTIVITY 1
Name:________________________________________ Course & Section: _______________
Direction: Identify the types of handwriting standards and write “CS” if it is a collected standard and “RS” if
requested standard on the space provided below.

___________1. Signatures or other handwritings which are written by an individual upon requests for the purpose of
comparison with other handwriting or for specimen purposes.
____________2. Genuine signature on cancelled bank checks.
____________3. These are known (genuine) handwriting of an individual such as signature and endorsement.
____________4. A genuine handwriting found in legal papers letters.
____________ 5. A standard which is written in the course of daily life, both business and socials.

ACTIVITY 2

Name: ____________________________________ Course & Section: __________________

Direction: Recognize the basic way in obtaining standards for comparison by placing in the box
provided.

1. Relative dates of questioned and standards

2. Standard writing witnessed

3. Writing instrument and paper

4. The amount of standard written

5. Admissibility of standard writings

Finally, let us summarize the lesson of what we had

discussed today.
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VI. GENERALIZATION

Essay: In 2-3 sentences, discuss the importance of standard in the identification of questioned documents. Rubric is
attached for reference and guidance.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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RUBRIC:
Level Description Score
 Well written and very organized.
 Excellent grammar mechanics.
OUTSTANDING  Clear and concise statements. 9-10
 Excellent effort and presentation with detail.
 Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic.
 Writes fairly clear.
 Good grammar mechanics.
GOOD 7-8
 Good presentation and organization.
 Sufficient effort and detail
 Minimal effort.
 Good grammar mechanics.
FAIR 6
 Fair presentation.
 Few supporting details.
 Somewhat unclear.
 Shows little effort.
POOR  Poor grammar mechanics. 5
 Confusing and choppy, incomplete sentences.
 No organization of thoughts.

KUDOS!
You have come to an end of Module 4.
OOPS! Don’t forget that you have still an
assignment to do.
Here it is….
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VII. ASSIGNMENT

Name: ___________________________________ Course & Section: __________________

Direction/Instruction: From the pool of words below, choose and at least five (5) sources of
signatures written in the course of daily affairs and write it on the space provided.

 Tickets
 Business and personal letters
 School or university class records and cards
 Death threats
 Loan application and receipts
 License
 Credit application and cards
 Leaflets

1. _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
4. _______________________________________
5. _______________________________________

(This assignment will be submitted on ________________.)

After your long journey of reading and accomplishing

the module, let us now challenge your mind by
answering the evaluation part of this module.
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VIII. EVALUATION

Name:___________________________________ Course & Section: __________________

Direction/Instruction: Read each sentence/situation carefully and select the letter of the correct
answer among the choices.

1. It is a selected representative portion of the whole is known as a sample. In this text, the term "sample"
follows closely the statistical usage.
a. Standards c. Sample
b. Exemplar d. No correct answer
2. These are signatures or other handwritings (or hand printings) written individual upon requests for the
purpose of comparison with other handwriting or for specimen purposes.
a. Standards c. Collected Standards
b. Request Standards d. Exemplars
3. A specimen of the writing of suspects which is commonly known as ___________.
a. Handwriting c. Standards
b. Exemplars d. Sample
4. The following are kinds of disguises in handwriting EXCEPT ________.
a. Deteriorating one's handwriting
b. Change of Letter, either from cursive to block style or vice versa
c. Change of Style from small to big or vice versa
d. None
5. It is one of the basic points that should be considered in obtaining standards which states that when the
questioned handwriting was written by a pencil, then standard written should be contemporaneous with the
standard exemplars.
a. Writing instrument and paper
b. Condition under which both the questioned and the standard are prepared
c. Relative dates of questioned and the standards-
d. Similarity of subject matter
6. According to the basic points that should be considered in obtaining standards, the number of standard
signatures must be at least __________.
a. Four c. 25
b. Five Pages d. No correct answer
7. It is the style of writing contained in the standard or exemplars should be similar to the style of the questioned
writings. If the questioned writings are hand printed, then get hand printed standard or exemplar.
a. Writing instrument and paper
b. Condition under which both the questioned and the standard are prepared
c. Relative dates of questioned and the standards-
d. Similarity of subject matter
8. The following are the evidence of alcoholic intoxication EXCEPT _________.
a. Illegible forms and writing generally c. Bizarre letter forms
b. Uneven baseline d. No correct answer
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9. ___________ determined whether the questioned writing is purely cursive or script or block or combination of
three or two styles of writing.
a. Examination c. Comparison
b. Extend Writing d. Analysis
10. These are known writings which indicated how a person writes.
a. Standards c. Collected standards
b. Exemplars d. Sample

(This evaluation will be submitted on ________________.)

CONGRATULATIONS on reaching the end of this module!

You may now proceed to the next module.
Don’t forget to submit all the exercises, activities and portfolio
on ___________________.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Well Done!!!