Module Title: Handwriting Identification and Examination

Course Title: Questioned Documents Examination

Course Number: FRC 314
Course Description: The course covers the scientific methods of identification and examination of
questionable documents ,handwriting examination, detection of forgery ,falsification and counterfeiting
of documents which stress the procedures of restoring and deciphering erasures and obliterations;
examination of documents by means of visible light, ultra-violet and ultra-red radiation and colored
powders; recognition and selection of standards; and examination of questionable typewriting,
computerized documents and other forms of modern printing.

Total Learning Time: Week 5-7

Pre-requisites: None

Overview:
This module presents the various principle of identification, basis of handwriting identification,
variation in handwriting, development of handwriting of an individual, recognition of writing
characteristics and movement in handwriting. Further, this module comprehensively discusses writing
characteristics and other identifying features.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the chapter the students must have;
3.1 Discussed the principles involved in handwriting identification
3.2 Discussed the basis of handwriting identification
3.3 Discussed the variations in handwriting
3.4 Discussed briefly the development of handwriting of an individual
3.5 Recognize the writing characteristics
3.6 Recognize the movement in handwriting
3.7Recognize the handwriting characteristics and other identifying features.

Indicative Content:
Module 3. Handwriting Identification and Examination

 Principles involved in handwriting identification

 Basis of handwriting identification
 Variations in handwriting
 Development of handwriting of an individual
 Recognition of writing characteristics
 Movement in handwriting
 Handwriting characteristics and other identifying features

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MODULE 3
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X

DISCUSSION:

LESSON 3.1 PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

1. No two writers write exactly alike.
This is the basis of all handwriting identification. Early workers in the field who
pioneered in the scientific identification of handwriting assumed that “no two writers write
exactly alike”. This assumption has stood the test of time. When the numerous problems have
been submitted to document examiners throughout the years there has been found example of
two identical handwritings. Even a single writer cannot perfectly duplicate his own
handwriting. As no two persons write exactly alike, one cannot perfectly produce a
geometrically perfect handwriting.

2. The physical writing condition and position of the person including his writing instrument
may affect the handwriting characteristics but they do not confine all identifying
elements.
Deterioration in writing result from less accurate coordination of the highly
complicated interrelated factors which go into the writing process. Thus one would not expect
only one or two identifying characteristics to be altered while the others will to continue to be
reproduced exactly as before.
Both illness and old age may reflect in handwriting. Not every serious illness, however,
causes a lessening in writing ability. Rather, those that weaken the person so that he is unable
to perform skillful operation are most likely affecting his handwriting. Diseases such as heart
ailments, high blood pressure, and the like normally, are not accompanied by deterioration in
handwriting, although a layman may attempt to explain away a poorly forged signature by his
type of illness. Writing during sickness in which the patient is confined to bed probably reflects
more strongly the effects of the adverse writing conditions than the illness itself.
3. A writer cannot exceed his maximum writing ability or skill without serious effort and
training applied over a period of time.
The preceding principle says that no writer can spontaneous exceed his best
handwriting. Disguise for the most part is completely unpracticed and even if it has been
practiced, it will never develop to the point that the person‘s writing ability and habit are bound
to bring about a less fluent and less skilful mode of writing. Even if practiced, disguise hardly
enables the writer to achieve his best writing.
4. The combination of handwriting characteristics including those derived from form and
writing movements are essential elements of identification.
Handwriting characteristics serve as parts of the ultimate identification and a sound scientific
conclusion that two specimens are by a single writer which cannot be based only on one or two
points of agreement. Of course, the wrong properties which are most personal and group
characteristics also contribute to the ultimate conclusion.
The elements of movements such as skill, rhythm, writing pressure, emphasis and
shading, location and quality of starts and stops, pen lifts and the like, are reflected in the
finished specimen. The combination of these and other elements describes the fundamental
writing movement.

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5. Individuality in handwriting can only be determined through comparative examination
with the standard written or prepared under comparable conditions.
6. Similarity does not mean identify.
Many people resemble one another, some in greater detail, and others in less. But even a person,
who said to be “doubles”, are not the same in appearance in every detail. There are always
differences. Some of those differences are gross and easily discernible; while others may be subtle
and discernible only upon close examination.
7. Complete identity means definite forgery.

If a signature is geometrically identical with another, it points almost inevitably to a tracing; for
neither the forger nor the owner of the signature himself can provide such a perfect cop. No person
writes his signature precisely the same twice succession. The precise imitation, like a rubber stamp
of a signature, is quickly detected as forgery.
8. (a) A writing was written by one person when there is a sufficient number of identical
writing habits and identical primary controlling characteristics and in addition, the
absence of divergent characteristics.
(b) A writing was not written by one person when there is a sufficient number of divergent
writing characteristics and the absence of identical primary controlling characteristics
and the absence of identical primary controlling characteristics.

HANDWRITING
 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.
Some defined handwriting as “visible speech.”

KINDS OF WRITINGS:

A. Cursive – connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.

B. Script – separated or printed writing.
BLOCK – all CAPITAL LETTERS

LESSON 3.2 BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

A. 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.
B. Environment, education and occupation affect individuals so variously in the formation of these
muscular habits that finally the act of writing becomes an almost automatic succession of acts
stimulated by these habits.
C. 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 from the habit of the
first writer.

PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF HANDWRITING:

 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 or writing.
 This center near the motor area of the cortex is responsible for the finger movement involved
in handwriting. The importance of this center is that when it becomes diseased as in agraphia,
one loses the ability to write although he could still grasp a fountain pen, ball pen or pencil.

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Thus, the ability or power to hold a fountain pen or pencil to form symbols and words can be
said to emanate from its cortical center.

Dysgraphia- is a deficiency in the ability to write primarily in terms of handwriting, but also
in terms of coherence. It occurs regardless of the ability to read and is not due to intellectual
impairment. Dysgraphia is a transcription disability, meaning that it is a writing disorder
associated with impaired handwriting, orthographic coding (orthography, the storing process
of written words and processing the letters in those words), and finger sequencing (the
movement of muscles required to write).
Three Groups of Muscles Involve in Handwriting:
1. Extensor muscles - push up the pen to form the upward strokes
2. Flexor muscles - which push the pen to from the downward strokes.
3. Lumbrical muscle - which push the pen 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 form is known as motor coordination.

LESSON 3.3 VARIATIONS IN HANDWRITING

 A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the subjective mind but the hand does
not always produce a stereotyped duplicate of that pattern. 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 variations there
will be in the form of individualize letters as well as in the writing as a whole.

A. CAUSES OF VARIATION:
1. Function of some external condition i.e. influence of the available space.
2. Abnormal conditions such as physical injury, toxic effects, inebriation's, emotion and
deception.
3. Position of letter - all the letters are to be found initially, medially, and finally. The fact of a
different position, especially in combination with another and particular letter, may modify
any of them in some way or another.

B. IMPORTANCE OF VARIATION
1. Personal variation encountered under normal writing conditions is also a highly important
element of identification. The qualities of personal variation include both its nature and its
extent. It becomes necessary to determine the amount, extent, and exact quality of the
variations.
2. It is improbable that the variety and extent of the variation in handwriting will be exactly
duplicated in two individuals that such a coincidence becomes practically impossible and this
multitude of possible variations when combined is what constitutes individuality in
handwriting.
3. With a group of signatures of a particular writer, certain normal divergence in size, lateral
spacing and proportions actually indicate genuineness. Variation in genuine writing is
ordinarily in superficial parts and in size, proportions, degree of care given to the act, design,
slant, shading, vigor, angularity, roundness and direction of stroke.

LESSON 3.4 DEVELOPMENT OF HANDWRITING OF AN INDIVIDUAL

A. Children learn writing by following the school copy or model.

B. After acquiring some degree of skill the children no longer follow the school model.
C. As speed increases, conscious design and regularity begin to break down.
D. In the course of trial and error, modification are made, simplification and elaborations, addition
and omissions occur.

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1. The writing pattern of each child embodies unique combinations of such deviation from the
standard letter forms or school model, and becomes his personal habits.
2. 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 same system or school copy a class of
writers, but such impairs does not by any means produce a slavish uniformity.
3. Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues until each writer in the way that seems
best and easiest to him.

SCHOOL COPYBOOK FORM (school model) - refers to the standard of handwriting instruction taught
in particular school. Classes of copybook depend on the standard school copy adopted by a writer.

A. SYSTEMS of Early American Handwriting:

1. Old English round hand - in fact an Italian hand popular in 1840.
2. Modified round hand - early edition of the Spencerian, and the Payson, Dunton, and Scribners
copybook - 1840 -1860.
3. Spencerian - there is simplification by the omission of extra strokes and flourishes. And a
general tendency toward plainer letters than the preceding system, some of which were very
ornate - 1860-1890.
4. Modern Vertical writing 1890-1900
5. The arm movement writing - the manner or method of writing, instead of the form alone is
especially emphasized.

 Out of these five divisions of early handwriting, the modern commercial hand systems
developed. This is characterized by free movement. And the forms adopted are best suited to
easy rapid writing. These are the Zaner and Blozer system of arm movement writing and the
Palmer system of American arm movement. The last great revolution in American handwriting
was the adoption of vertical writing which was in fact a reversion to the old system of slow but
legible writing. The connecting stroke is based on the small circle and is the most distinctive
"round hand" ever devised. It was very slow compared with writing based on the narrow ellipse
like the Spencerian in which all connections were almost points instead of broad curves. Most
commercial handwritings tend toward straight connecting strokes and narrow connections.

B. SOME MODERN SCHOOL MODEL FORMS

1. Palmer Copybook – commonly used in the United States prior to 1980.
2. D’Nealian Copybook – commonly used in the United States since 1980
3. British Copybook
4. French Copybook
5. German Copybook

C. SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL COPY FORMS or System Characteristics as Basis 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.

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D. IMPORTANCE OF THE DESIGN OF THE LETTERS (System of Writing) – May point:
1. to the nationality of the writer.
2. to the system learned.
3. to the date when the writing was acquired and
4. to some of the influences that have surrounded the writer.

LESSON 3.5 RECOGNITION OF WRITING CHARACTERISTICS

Following are the writing characteristics commonly involved in the examination of

handwriting.
1. Form – refers to the shape or design of the individual letters. In the connection with the factor
of form, the following points should be taken into consideration.
2. Slope or Slant- it is an angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the baseline.
Each individual has different slopes in writing. Most people their writing forward; others
distinctly backward inclination, while the rest have upright or vertical sloping.
3. Size- as writing characteristics is somewhat divergent under varying condition and may have
but little significance when applied to only one example or to a small quantity of writing like a
signature unless the divergence is very pronounced.
4. Proportion- refers to the symmetry of individual letter. Using the letter “B” as an example, is
the top “bulb” the same size as the bottom “bulb”. Is one portion of the letter thinner than the
other? This concept usually develops a relationship between two portions of the, a letter to
another portion of the same letter.
5. Ratio- is a comparison or correlation of the height of one letter or letter segment to another
letter, usually within the same word or signature. One would expect all capital letters in the
same writing system to maintain the same height throughout a body of writing.
6. Connecting Strokes- this refers to the strokes of links that connects a letter with the one
following. In signatures, it is common practice among many writers to write their signatures
with the initials and connected without lifting the pen.
Character of connection:
a. Rounded connecting stroke- the connecting stroke is rounded in the appearance, an almost
copybook from way of writing.
b. Elliptical or Oval connecting stroke- kind of connecting stroke wherein the stroke are
rounded but closer. Note the lateral spacing length of the signature is shorter than the
rounded connecting stroke.
c. Angular connecting stroke- stroke shows an angle formation showing a signature that is
shorter in length or a shorter lateral spacing.
7. Initial Strokes- refers to the starting stoke.
Formation:
a. Upward initial stroke
b. Initial stroke with a beard stroke
c. Downward initial stroke
d. Initial stroke with a spur stroke
e. Curved upward initial stoke
f. Initial stroke with flourishes
8. Terminal Strokes- the last stroke in a signature.
Formation:
a. Upward tapering terminal stroke

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b. Downward blunt terminal stroke
c. Blunt horizontal terminal stroke
d. Tapering curved downward terminal stoke

Kinds:
1. Flying or tapering terminal stroke- kinds of terminal stroke where in the width of the stroke
diminishes in size as the momentum of writing ends.
2. Blunt terminal strokes- this terminal stroke diminishes abruptly.
9. Pen –lift- it is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the paper. Pen –lift
or disconnections between letter combinations are maybe due to lack of movement control.
10. Hiatus- is a gap between strokes due to speed in writing and the defective writing instruments.
Most people have no fixed writing habit regarding the inclusion of the hiatus. It is common to
find slowly written specimen handwriting of the particular writer with several gaps, while
another specimen written shortly afterwards is practically devoid of hiatuses. Therefore,
hiatuses are included or omitted in the handwriting according to the whim of the writer.
11. Lateral Spacing- is considered as a common characteristic when it conforms to the ordinary
copy-book-form. Abnormally, wide spacing or cramping of letters may be regarded as personal,
characteristics of some value. Most writers retain their abnormal spacing habits even if there is
an attempt to disguise other features in handwriting.
12. Shading- it the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper surface. It is
due to the spitting of the pen-nib resulting in the widening of the ink lines as controlled by the
variation in pen pressure. The consistent variation in width due to the variation pressure of line
and delicate line is more specifically referred to as “unconscious emphasis”.
13. Line Quality- refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the basic movement and
manner of holding the writing instrument. This quality of the visible record is derived from a
combination of factors including writing skills, speed. rhythm, shading, pen pressure, pen
position, and freedom of movement. It is the overall character of the written strokes from initial
to the terminal.
14. Alignment- is the relation of the parts of the whole line writing or line of individual letters in
words or signature to the baseline.
15. Rhythm- it is the balanced quality of movements of the harmonious recurrence of stress or
impulse. It is the flowing succession of motion that is recorded in a written record. Habitual
rhythm in writing is the harmonious recurrence of stress, impulse or motion. It produced a
natural and not a constrained or an artificial result.
16. Pen pressure- it is the average force in which the pen makes contact with the paper or the usual
force involved in writing. Pen pressure is one of the most personal but somewhat hidden
characteristics in writing. Pen pressure more accurately describes the proportion of strokes to
each other in width as affected by shading and by unconscious emphasis.
17. Tremor- means “deviations from uniform strokes due to lack of smoothness perfectly apparent
even without magnification”. Lack of muscular skill with pen is usually described as tremor
and shown by; (a) lack of uniformity of speed in making pen strokes, pen stops; (b) involuntary
horizontal and vertical movements ( uncontrolled sidewise movement produce a line with
abrupt changes of direction or zigzag character)

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Involuntary pen pressure, sometimes referred to as “vertical tremor”, is the involuntary up and
down movements or changing pressure which produces a line of varying width or intensity as
the pressure is suddenly increased or diminished.
Causes of Tremor
a. Lack of skill on the paper of the writer
b. Self-consciousness of the writing process
c. Hesitation resulting from copying or imitation
d. Uncontrollable nervousness of the writer
e. In illiterate writing, to clumsiness, partly due to lack of clear mental impression of the form
being made.

Kinds of Tremor
1. Genuine tremors such as;
a. Tremor of age or weakness- characteristics of tremor age or extreme weakness are
 Shows unusual and erratic departures of the line from each intended course;
 Abrupt recovery
 General indication of muscular weakness and of movements beyond the
control of the writer particularly in downward strokes;
 Shows awkward digression or distortions which may be due to imperfect sight;
 General irregularity due to involuntary tremor, often characterized by
abbreviations or even omission of the parts of letters, or even whole letters.
b. Tremor of illiteracy- this is characterized by general irregularity that is not due to
weakness but lack of skills and mental uncertainty as to the form and a general
clumsiness resulting from unfamiliarity with the whole writing process.
2. Tremor of Fraud- fraudulent writing which is drawn even though quite perfect in general
form shows, little, if any freedom and will often show hesitation at places where tremor is
wrongly placed.

18. Natural variation

-variation are due lack of machine-like precision of human hand.
-it is also caused by external factors, such as the writing instrument and the writing position.
-influenced by physical and mental condition such as fatigue, intoxication, illness, nervousness
and the age of the writer
-due to the quantity of the writing prepared in the course of time, variation in genuine signature
appears in the superficial parts and does not apply to the whole process of writing.
19. Rubric or Embellishment- refers to additional unnecessary strokes not necessary to
legibility of letters forms or writing but incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental
purposes. Embellishment is usually added to signatures to enhance, what is to the writer, their”
pleasing appearance”. This serve as “security” to make a, signatures more difficult to imitate
or forge.
TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATIONS

1. 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.

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2. ANGULAR FORMS – Sharp, straight strokes that are made by stopping the pen and changing
direction before continuing.
3. ARCADE FORMS – Forms that look like arches rounded on the top and open at the bottom.
4. CHARACTERISTICS - any property or mark which distinguishes and in document
examination commonly called to as the identifying details.
5. COLLATION - side by side comparison; collation as used in this text means the critical
comparison on side by side examination.
6. 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 are
related to the counterparts of the other.
7. DISGUISED WRITING - A writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing habits in
hopes of hiding his identity. The results, regardless of their effectiveness are termed disguised
writing.
8. DOWNSTROKE – The movement of the pen toward the writer.
9. FORM – The writer’s chosen writing style. The way the writing looks, whether it is copybook,
elaborated, simplified or printed.
10. GARLAND FORMS – A cup-like connected form that is open at the top and rounded on the
bottom.
11. GESTALT – The German word that means “complete” or “whole”. A good gestalt needs
nothing added or taken away to make it “look right”. Also a school of handwriting analysis
that looks at handwriting as a whole picture.
12. GRAPHOANALYSIS - the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental strokes, the
curve and the straight strokes.
13. GRAPHOMETRY - analysis by comparison and measurement.
14. GRAPHOLOGY - the art of determining character disposition and amplitude of a person from
the study of handwriting. It also means the scientific study and analysis of handwriting,
especially with reference to forgeries and questioned documents.
15. HANDLETTERING. Any disconnected style of writing in which each letter is written
separately; also called handprinting.
16. LEFT-HANDED WRITING. See “wrong hand writing.”
17. LETTER SPACE – The amount of space left between letters.
18. LINE DIRECTION – Movement of the baseline. May slant up, down, or straight across the
page.
19. LINE QUALITY - the overall character of the ink lines from the beginning to the ending
strokes. There are two classes: Good Line quality and Poor Line quality. The visible records
in the written stroke of the basic movements and manner of holding the writing instrument is
characterized by the term "line quality". It is derived from a combination of factors
including writing skill, speed rhythm, freedom of movements, shading and pen position.
20. LINE SPACE – The amount of space left between lines.
21. MANUSCRIPT WRITING. A disconnected form of script or semi-script writing. This type
of writing is taught in young children in elementary schools as the first step in learning to write.
22. MARGINS – The amount of space left around the writing on all four sides.
23. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION - Any study or examination which is made with the
microscope in other to discover minute details.
24. MOVEMENT – It 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.
25. NATURAL WRITING - Any specimen of writing executed normally without any attempt to
control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.
26. NATURAL VARIATION - These are normal or usual deviations found between repeated
specimens of any individual handwriting.

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27. PEN EMPHASIS - The act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper surfaces. When
the pen-point has flexibility, this emphasis produces shading, but with more rigid writing
points heavy point emphasis can occur in writing w/out any evidence of shading; the act
intermittently forcing the pen against the paper with increase pressure.
28. PEN HOLD – The place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and the angle at which
he holds it.
29. PEN POSITION - relationship between the pen point and the paper.
30. PEN PRESSURE - the average force with which the pen contacts the paper. Pen pressure as
opposed to pen emphasis deals with the usual of average force involved in the writing rather
than the period increases.
31. PRINTSCRIPT – A creative combination of printing and cursive writing.
32. PROPORTION or RATIO - the relation between the tall and the short letter is referred as to
the ratio of writing.
33. QUALITY. A distinct or peculiar character. Also, “quality” is used in describing handwriting
to refer to any identifying factor that is related to the writing movement itself.
34. RHYTHM – 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. Periodicity, alternation of
movement.
35. 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.
36. SIGNIFCANT WRITING HABIT – Any characteristic of handwriting that is sufficiently
uncommon and well-fixed to serve as a fundamental point in the identification.
37. SIMPLIFICATION – Eliminating extra or superfluous strokes from the copybook model.
38. SIZE – May refer to the overall size of the writing or the proportions between zones.
39. SKILL - In any set there are relative degrees or ability or skill and a specimen of handwriting
usually contains evidence of the writer's proficiency; degree, ability, or skill of a write
proficiency.
40. SLOPE/SLANT - the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the baseline.
There are three classes:
a. Slant to the left;
b. Slant to the right; and
c. Vertical Slant.
41. SPEED OF WRITING - The personal pace at which the writer’s pen moves across the paper.
42. SPEED (SPEEDY) WRITING - Not everyone writes at the same rate so that consideration of
the speed of writing may be a significant identifying element. Writing speed cannot be
measured precisely from the finished handwriting but can be interpreted in broad terms of slow,
moderate, or rapid.
43. SYSTEM (OF WRITING) - The combination of the basic design of letters and the writing
movement as taught in school make up the writing system. Writing through use diverges from
the system, but generally retains some influence of the basic training. See also copy book.
44. TENSION – The degree of force exerted on the pen compared to the degree of relaxation.
45. THREADY FORM – An indefinite connective form that looks flat and wavy.
46. VARIABILITY – The degree to which the writing varies from the copybook model.
47. VARIATION – The act or process of changing.
48. WORD SPACE – The amount of space left between words.
49. WRITING CONDITION – Both the circumstances under which the writing was prepared and
the factors influencing the writer’s ability to write at the time of execution. It includes the
writer’s position (sitting, standing, abed, etc.), the paper support and backing, and the writing
instrument; writing ability may be modified by the condition of the writer’s health, nervous
state, or degree of intoxication.
50. WRONG-HANDED WRITING. Any writing executed with the opposite hand that normally
used; a.k.a. as “with the awkward hand.” It is one means of disguise. Thus, the writing of a

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right-handed person which has been executed with his left hand accounts for the common
terminology for this class of disguise as "left-hand writing".
51. WRITING IMPULSE – The result of the pen touching down on the paper and moving across
the page, until it is raised from the paper.

TERMINOLOGIES CONCERNING STROKE CHARACTERISTICS:

1. ARC – a curved formed inside the top curve of loop as in small letters “h”, “m”, “n”, & “p”.
2. ARCH - any arcade form in the body of a letter found in small letters which contain arches.
3. ASCENDER - is the top portion of a letter or upper loop.
4. BASELINE - maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be imaginary alignment of writing;
is the ruled or imaginary line upon which the writing rests.
5. BEADED - Preliminary embellished initial stroke which usually occurs in capital letters.
6. BEARD - is the rudimentary initial up stroke of a letter.
7. BLUNT - the beginning and ending stroke of a letter (without hesitation).
8. BODY - The main portion of the letter, minus the initial of strokes, terminal strokes and the
diacritic, of any. Ex: the oval of the letter "O" is the body, minus the downward stroke and
the loop.
9. BOWL - a fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter complete into "O".
10. BUCKLE/BUCKLEKNOT - A loop made as a flourished which is added to the letters, as in
small letter "k & b", or in capital letters "A", "K","P"; the horizontal end loop stroke that are
often used to complete a letter.
11. CACOGRAPHY - a bad writing.
12. CALLIGRAPHY - the art of beautiful writing.
13. DESCENDER - opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a letter.
14. DIACRITIC - "t" crossing and dots of the letter "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.
15. ENDING/TERMINATE STROKE OF TOE - the end stroke of a letter.
16. EYE/EYELET/EYELOOP - 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.
17. FOOT - lower part which rest on the base line. The small letter "m" has three feet, and the
small letter "n" has two feet.
18. HABITS - any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize writing.
19. 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.
20. HIATUS/PEN JUMP - a gap occurring between a continuous strokes without lifting the pen.
Such as occurrence usually occurs due to speed; may be regarded also as a special form of
pen lift distinguish in a ball gaps in that of perceptible gaps and appear in the writing.
21. HOOK - It is a minute curve or an ankle which often occurs at the end of the terminal strokes.
It also sometimes occurs at the beginning of an initial stroke. The terminal curves of the
letters "a", "d", "n", "m", "p", "u", is 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.
22. 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.
23. 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).
24. LIGATURE/CONNECTION - The stroke which connects two stroke of letter; characterized
by connected stroke between letters.
25. LONG LETTER - those letters with both upper and lower loops.

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26. LOOP - A oblong curve such as found on the small letter "f", "g", "l" and letters stroke "f"
has two. A loop may be blind or open. A blind loop is usually the result of the ink having
filled the open space.
27. MAJUSCULE - a capital letter.
28. MINUSCULE - a small letter.
29. MOVEMENT IMPULSES - this refer to the continuity of stroke, forged writing is usually
produced by disconnected and broken movements and more motion or movement impulses
than in genuine writing.
30. PATCHING - retouching or going back over a defective portion of a written stroke. Careful
patching is common defect on forgeries.
31. PEN LIFT - an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the writing instrument from the
paper.
32. RETRACE/RETRACING - Any part of a stroke which is super imposed upon the original
stroke. Ex: vertical stroke of the letters "d" , "t" while coming downward from the top to
bottom will have a retracing strokes; 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.
33. 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.
34. SPUR - A short initial or terminal stroke.
35. STAFF - Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the long downward stroke of the
letter "b”, "g".
36. STEM OR SHANK - the upright long downward stroke that is the trunk or stalk, normally
seen in capital letters.
37. TICK/HITCH - Any short stroke, which usually occurs at the top of the letters.
38. TREMOR - A writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes is described as writing
tremor.
39. WHIRL – The upstroke of a looping ascender.

LESSON 3.6 MOVEMENT IN HANDWRITING

A. KINDS OF MOVEMENT
1. Finger Movement - the thumb, the first, second and slightly the third fingers are in actual
motion. Most usually employed by children and illiterates.
2. Hand Movement - produced by the movement or action of the whole hand with the wrist as
the center of attraction.
3. Forearm Movement - the movement of the shoulder, hand and arm with the support of the
table.
4. Whole Forearm Movement - action of the entire arm without resting. i.e., blackboard writing.

B. QUALITY OF MOVEMENT
1. Clumsy, illiterate and halting
2. Hesitating and painful due to weakness and illness
3. Strong, heavy and forceful
4. Nervous and irregular
5. Smooth, flowing and rapid

C. SPEED - Slow and drawn; Deliberate; average; and rapid

D. DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS EMPLOYED AFFECT WRITING IN – Smoothness;

Directness; Uniformity; Continuity of strokes; and Connecting or curves between letters

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MOTOR COORDINATION - The special way in which the various muscles used in writing work
together to produced written forms.

A. CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTOR COORDINATION:

1. Free, smelt rounded curves
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, the shading often has a "bunchy"
appearance, in which the maximum width of the shaded line is attained abruptly.

B. FAULTY COORDINATION IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE FOLLOWING:

1. Wavering and very irregular line or strokes with uncertain and unsteady progress. There is no
freedom of movement along the strokes of the letter-forms. The writing is obviously very slow
and is typical of the writing of a young child or for any one who painstakingly draws a picture
of an unfamiliar form.
2. Angular Line - a very common fault of coordination. Curves, large and small are not smoothly
rounded and there is no gradual change of direction. On the contrary, and angle marks almost
every change are direction in the line. Investigation has disclosed that angles are accompanied
by a lessening of writing speed.

RHYTHM IN HANDWRITING

Rhythm
 is a succession of connected, uniform strokes working in full coordination.
 This is 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.

A. LACK OF RHYTHM - Characterized by a succession of awkward, independent, poorly directed

and disconnected motions.
B. 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.
C. LETTER OF CONNECTIONS - Determine the essential expression of the writing pattern. It is
a mean indicator of the neuromuscular function. Words are formed 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 t right. It is an easy, effortless mode of connection, written with speed.
3. Angular connective form- When the downward strokes and upward strokes meet directly,
angular connection is formed. This type of connection imposes a check on the continuity of
movement which is characterized by an abrupt stop and start in 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.

OTHER TERMINOLOGIES CONCERNING STROKES:

1. AIRSTROKE – The movement of the pen as it is raised from the paper and continues in the
same direction in the air.

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2. COVERING STROKE – A stroke that unnecessarily covers another stroke in a concealing
action.
3. FINAL – The ending stroke on a letter when it is at the end of a word.
4. UPSTROKE – Movement of the pen away from the writer.
5. SEQUENCE OF STROKES - The order in which writing strokes are placed on the paper is
referred to as their sequence.
6. SUPPORTED STROKES – Upstrokes partially covering the previous down strokes.
Originally taught in European schools.
7. TRAIT STROKE – a school o handwriting analysis that assigns personality trait manners to
individual writing strokes.

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 pace has been steady
or variable.
4. Pressure- whether the pressure exerted in the movement and its upward and downward reach.
5. Direction- Left ward and right ward trend of they movement and its upward and downward
reach.
6. Rhythm - in the sequence of movements that weave the total pattern, certain similar phases
recur at more or less regular intervals.

HANDWRITING PROBLEMS:

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

perfectly to the ordinary, and habitual signatures of that person.
2. A signature/handwriting 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/handwriting 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/handwriting 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/handwriting, in fact, genuine but written by an unknown person
whose name must be deciphered by the document examiner.

GENERAL CLASSES OF QUESTIONED WRITING

A. Forged or simulated writings in which the attempt is made to discard one’s own writing and assume
the exact writing personality of another person.
B. Those writings that are disguised and in which the writer seeks to hide his own personality without
adapting that of another.

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LESSON 3.7 HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS AND OTHER IDENTIFYING
FEATURES

Writing Habits
 Writing by all its thousands of peculiarities in combination is the most personal and individuals
thing that a man does that leaves a record which can be seen and studies.
 This is what constitutes individuality in handwriting.

A. GENERAL (CLASS) CHARACTERISTICS

 These characteristics refer to those habits are part of basic writing system or which are
modifications of the system of writing found among so large a group of writes that have only
slight identification value.
B. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
 They are characteristics which are the result of the writer's muscular control, coordination, age,
health, and nervous temperament, frequency of writing, personality and character. They are
found in Writing movement, Form and design of letters, Motor Coordination, Shading, Skill,
Alignment, Pen Pressure, Connection, Pen hold, Rhythm, Disconnections or pen lifts between
letters, Speed, Slant as a writing habit, Proportion of letters as an individual characteristic or
habit, Quality of stroke or line quality, Variation and Muscular control or motor control.

Types of handwriting according to muscular control.

a. Loose writing - this is characterized by too much freedom of movement and lack of
regulation. This is noticed especially in tall letters forms.
b. Restrained writing - there is lack of freedom and inhibited movements. It gives you
the impression that every stroke was made with great difficulty. This writing is small.
There is distortion of letter forms which may lead to illegibility.

C. EXAMPLES OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Ordinary copy-book form
2. Usual systematic slant
3. Ordinary scale of proportion or ratio
4. Conventional spacing

D. CLASSIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Permanent characteristics - found always in his handwriting.
2. Common or usual - found in a group of writers who studied the same system of writing.
3. Occasional - found occasionally in his handwriting.
4. Rare - special to the writer and perhaps found only in one or two persons in a group of one
hundred individuals.

E. HOW INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE ACQUIRED:

1. Outgrowth of definite teaching
2. Result of imitation
3. Accidental condition or circumstances
4. Expression of certain mental and physical traits of the writer as affected by education,
by environment and by occupation.

F. EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Hook to the right and hook to the left
2. Shape, position, size and angle of "i" dots "t" crossing
3. Idiosyncrasies

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4. Bulbs and distinctive initial and final pen pressure
5. Embellishment, added strokes and free movement endings
6. Abbreviation of letters
7. Simple and compound curves and graceful endings
8. Labored movement producing ragged lines
9. Terminal shadings and forceful endings
10. Presence and influence of foreign writing, with the introduction of Greek "e"

Points to consider in examining extended writing (Anonymous, threat, poison letters)

1. Uniformity- Does the questioned writing have smooth, rhythmic and free-flowing
appearance?
2. Irregularities- Does the questioned writing appear awkward, ill-formed slowly
drawn
3. Size & Proportion- Determine the height of the over-all writing as well as the height
of the individual strokes in proportion to each other.
4. Alignment- Are they horizontally aligned, or curving, uphill or downhill
5. Spacing- Determine the general spacing between letters, spacing between words.
Width of the left and right margins, paragraph indentations.
6. Degree of Slant- Are they uniform or not?
7. Formation and Design of the letters, “t” (-) bars, “i” dots, loops, circle formation.
8. Initial, connecting and final strokes.

References:

Camara, RT (2016) Questioned Document Examination: An Instructional material for criminology students with laboratory
manual. Wiseman’s Books Trading Inc. Quezon City, Philippines.

Gonzales, J.A.(2008) Forensic Questioned Documents, Wiseman’s Books Trading Inc. Quezon City, Philippines.

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All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. Congratulations for getting this
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Sergeant II

“Be honest, for God is the helper of honest people. Avoid telling lies since it will ruin your faith. Know that honest people
are on the verge of nobility and honor, while liars are on the verge of collapse and destruction.” Imam Ali RA

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