HANDWRITING EXAMINATION

Module No. 3
Total Study Hours: 6hrs
Module Writer: PROF. RIZALINO D. FLORES III
Registered Criminologist
Master of Arts in Criminology

Module and Learning Facilitator Contacts: FB Messanger: Rizalino Flores

rizalinoflores3@gmail.com

Module Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize different kinds of handwriting

• Expound the physiological basis of handwriting identification
• Specify the process of handwriting examination
• Explain the acquisition and variations of handwriting characteristics
• Recognize appropriate and sufficient standards for comparison
• Discuss how proof of authenticity is established in handwriting
• Demonstrate ability to facilitate requested standards

CONTENT

I. Writing and Handwriting

a. Handwriting - A visible effect of bodily movement which is an almost unconscious

expression of fixed muscular habits, reacting from fixed mental impressions of certain
ideas associated with script form
b. Writing - is the visible result of a very complicated series of acts, being as a whole or a
combination of certain forms which are the very visible result of mental and muscular
habits acquired by long continued painstaking effort.

II. Kinds of Handwriting

a. Cursive- writing in which the letters are for the most part joined together (dactus link)
b. Hand Lettering – any disconnected block capitals sometimes referred to as manuscripts
writing or letter printing
c. Disguise Writing – it is a writing of a person who deliberately try to alter his usual
writing habits in the hope of hiding his identity
d. Natural Writing – any specimen of writing executed without any attempt to control or
alter its identifying habits and its usual quality of execution
(Abnormal Writing Habits – It is a characteristic of handwriting execution as product of
consciousness)

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III. Physiological Basis of Handwriting

a. The impulses to form a letter begins in the brain’s writing center in the CORTEX
b. This center near the motor area of the cortex is responsible for the final movement
involved in handwriting. The importance of this center is that when it becomes disease
as in AGRAPHIA, one loses the ability to write although he could still grasped writing
instrument

c. In writing, the pen functions as an extension of the hand. The fingers transmit to the
pen the directive impulses and the variations 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

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 d. The hand contains two kinds of muscles which function 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 flexion by a group of muscles called the FLEXOR muscles
which push the pen to form the DOWNWARD STROKE. These flexor and extensor
muscles combine with lumbrical muscles to form LATERAL STROKE

e. The delicate way in which the various muscles used in writing work together to
produce written forms is known as MOTOR COORDINATION.

IV. Steps in the development of Mature Writing

a. First, when a person first begins to learn the art of handwriting, penmanship copybook
forms, blackboard illustrations of the different letters are placed before him. His first
step is one of imitation only by a process of drawing, painstaking, laborious slow
copying of the letter forms. The form of each letter at first occupies the focus of his
attention.

Note: Copy Book Form – The design or illustrations of letters which are fundamental to a writing system

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 b. Second, as the person progress, the matter of form recedes, and the focus of attention
is centered on the execution of various letters, that is they are actually written instead
of drawn. (mastery of pattern execution)

c. Third, the manual operation in the execution of letters after more progress, is likewise is
soon relegated to the subjective mind and the process of writing becomes more or less
automatic. As the person attains maturity in writing by many repetitions, writing
becomes an unconscious coordinated movement that produces a record. Attention is no
longer given to the process of writing itself because the subject matter to be written
now occupies the focus of attention.

V. Factors of Modifying a Mature Writing

a. Education
b. Training
c. Personal taste
d. Artistic Ability
e. Masculature and nerve tone; and the like

VI. Manner of Modifying Mature Writing from Copy Book Form

a. Simplification - discarding of unessential details and go as far as to strip the letter to

the skeleton making it either clear-cut and precise, or bare and careless.

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 b. Elaboration – decorative strokes are added to the plain letter forms, giving writing rick
and ample, or to ornate character.

c. Linear pattern – writing shows no concern for form so that lines and angles
predominate, and loops and angles are not pronounced.

VII. Scientific Method of Handwriting Examination

Handwriting Identification – The process of ascertaining whether or not two writings have a
common origin

a. Recognition (Analysis) of characteristics- properties or characteristics are observed or

measured, determined
b. Complete Comparison of Characteristics- properties or characteristics of the unknown
are determined thru analysis are now compared with the familiar or recorded
properties of known items (standards)
c. Correct interpretation (EVALUATION) of characteristics- similarities or dissimilarities in
properties or characteristics will each have a certain value for identification,
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 determined by its likelihood or occurrence. The weight or significance of each must
therefore be considered.

VIII. Standards

a. In questioned documents examination, it refers to those things whose origins are

known and can be proven and which can be legally used as samples to compare with
other matters in question.

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b. Types of Standards

i. Procured or Collected Standards - Those which can be obtained from files of

documents executed in the course of a person’s day-to-day business, official,
social or personal activities. They often serve as the best or most appropriate
standards in the determination of the genuineness of a questioned signature or
writing (readily available writings).

ii. Request Standards - Those which are given or made at the request of an
investigator for purposes of making a comparative examination with the
questioned writing. They serve in addition to collected standards which could
be possibly obtained, as appropriate standards in determining the identity or
authorship of anonymous letter.

c. Points to be Considered in Gathering Procured or Collected Standards

i.
Amount of Standard writing available
ii.
Similarity of subject matter
iii.
Relative dates of the standards with the questioned signature or writing
iv.Conditions under which both questioned and known writings or signatures are
prepared
v. Kind of instrument and paper used

d. Points to be considered in Obtaining Requested Standards

i.The material should be dictated to the writer

ii.Dictated text must be carefully selected
iii.An adequate amount of writing must be included
iv. Some portions of the dictation must be repeated at least three times
v. Writing instruments and paper should be similar to those used in questioned
document
vi. Dictation should be interrupted at an interval
vii. Normal writing conditions should be arrange

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Assessment Methods

1. Analytical Exam
2. Experiential Learning:

a. Handwriting modification
b. Recognition of handwriting characteristics

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 HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS

Module No. 4
Total Study Hours: 6hrs
Module Writer: PROF. RIZALINO D. FLORES III
Registered Criminologist
Phd in Crminal Justice w/ Specialization in Criminology

Module and Learning Facilitator Contacts: FB Messanger: Rizalino Flores

rizalinoflores3@gmail.com

Module Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize various individual and class characteristics of handwriting

• Demonstrate capability to examine writing characteristics to point out identity and non-identity among
known and unknown writing specimen
• Perform handwriting examination and identification
• Prepare case folder on handwriting examination
• Present findings on handwriting examination and apply various techniques in preparation and presentation
of exhibits

CONTENT

I. Writing Characteristics

Writing Characteristics Commonly Involved in the Examination of Handwriting

1. Form – refers to the shape or design of the individual letters.

a. Arc or Arch – rounded inner part of an upper curve

b. Beard – an introductory up and down curve (double hitch)
c. Blunt – Abrupt beginning and ending strokes (heavy pressure in handwriting)
c. Buckle knot – horizontal loop to complete a letter
c. Central part or body – small circle that lie on the base line
d.Dactus broken/junction broken – disconnected, non - continuous stroke
e. Dactus Link - continuous stroke
e. Eyeloop/eyelet – Small oblong strokes
f. Foot of the letter or oval – the bottom part of the letter that lies on the base-
line
g. Diacritic – element added to complete a letter
h. Hitch – a backward introductory or ending stroke
i. Hook/through – a minute and involuntary talon – like formation often found
at the commencement of an initial stroke
j. Hump – the rounded outside top of the bend in small letters
k. Initial Spur – lone running initial or terminal strokes
l. Knob – rounded appearance at the beginning and ending of stroke
m. Main stroke/shank stem – long downward stroke (backbone of the letter)

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 n. Whirl – long upward stroke
o. Space filler/terminal spur – long downward and upward terminal stoke

2. System – refers to the particular style of writing movement or system of writing

practiced or learned in childhood.

OMSMA

1.1. Old English Round Hand of 1849

1.2. Modified Round Hand of 1960
1.3. Spencerian System of 1865-1890
1.4. Modern Vertical System 1890-1900
1.5. Angular System

3. Muscular Habits or Coordination – muscles should coordinate or contribute in

order to have a continuous process, downward and upward coordination in
making letters or words.

NOTE : (HSG)

• Habits is any repeated elements which may serve to individual writing

• Significant Writing Habits - elements of one's writing that are sufficiently
unique and well fixed to serve as a strong basis of individuality
• Guided signature (assisted writing) is signature actually produced by the
cooperation of two hands and two minds

4. Retracing – any strokes which goes back over another writing stroke is
retracing.

Retouching/Patching – the process of going back to the defective portion of

writing.

5. Connections, Connecting Stroke or Links – it refers to the strokes or links which

connect a letter with one following. (CIRCULAR, ELLIPTICAL AND ANGULAR)

6. Size – as a writing characteristic is somewhat divergent under varying conditions

and may have but little significance when applied to only one example, or to
small quantity of writing like signatures, unless the divergence is clearly
pronounced. Refers to the actual height of the letter.

7. Slant – this refers to the slope of writing in relation to the base line.

8. Spacing –between letters in words depend upon the length of the connecting
strokes or links.

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 9. Proportion – of a part or to the other part of a letter, or the relative height of
one letter to another letter can be found in different writings.

10. Movement – is an important element of handwriting. It embraces all of the

factors which are related to the motion of the writing instrument, skill, speed,
freedom, hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremor, and the like.

Different Writing Movements Employed by Different Writers

1. Finger Movement – thumb, index and middle finger are used exclusively in the
writing of letters.

2. Hand Movement – it involve actions of the hand as a whole, with fingers playing but
a minor role, their action being limited mainly to the formation of the smaller parts of
the letter.

3. Forearm or Muscular Movement – writing is produced by movement of both hand

and arm and also fingers in some cases. The elbow is the pivot of the lateral
movement.

4. Whole-arm Movement – this movement involves action of the entire arm without
rest and is employed in very large ornamental writings, in ornamental penmanship, in
blackboard writing, and by few writers in making all the capital letters.

11. Line Quality – refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the basic
movement and manner of holding the writing instrument.

12. Tremor – a writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky strokes. (wavering

strokes)

*Deviations from uniform strokes or the lack of smoothness perfectly apparent

even without magnification.

*Lack of muscular skill with the pen.

Kinds of Tremor

1. Genuine Tremor such as Tremor of Age, Illiteracy and Weakness.

2. Tremor of Fraud – Employ Pen Hesitation ; It is a product of non – continues

writing execution found along the ink lines resulting from abnormal speed of
writing.

13. Skills – the proficiency in the art of writing usually perceived to manual
dexterity and legibility in writing.
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 Dexterity – can easily hold the pen

Legibility - readable

14. Rhythm – the elements of the writing movement which is marked by regular or
periodic recurrences. It may be classified as smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its
quality. It is a product of harmonious handwriting motion in uniform deviation.
Basis for rhythm;

• Regularity in slope
• Regularity in size
• Regularity in curvature

Notes: "Calligraphy" is the art of beautiful writing and "Cacography" is bad

writings

15. Speed – slow, moderate and rapid.

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

Shading Considerations: (FISFE)

1. Form
2. Intensity
3. Skill
4. Frequency
5. Exact location

17. Pen – emphasis - it refers to the more obvious increase in the width of the
stroke.

18. Pen Position – the relationship between the pen point and the paper is known
as pen position and the line of writing and between the pen point and the paper
surface, are the elements of pen position. Both conditions may be reflected in
the writing.

19. Pen Pressure – the average force with which the pen contacts the paper, it may
be estimated from an examination of the writing. Pen pressure as opposed to
pen emphasis deals with the usual or average force involved in the writing
rather than the periodic increase.

20. Pen Lifts – an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the writing

instrument from the paper.

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 *Hiatus – Interruption in strokes produced without lifting the writing
instrument

21. Pen stops - Momentary stops in a written stroke while the pen point is at rest
with the writing surface; usually represented by the presence of "knob"
22. Pen scope - Represent the reach of the hand while writing.

23. Terminal and Initial Strokes – terminal strokes refer to the last element of a
letter; initial strokes refer to the first element of a letter of first letter of a loop.

24. Alignment – is the relation of successive characters or letters of a word,

signature or line of writing to an actual or imaginary baseline.

25. Arrangement – how did you put different parts of writing

26. Rubric or Embellishment – this refers to additional, unnecessary strokes, not

necessary to legibility of letter forms or writings but incorporated in writing for
decorative or ornamental purpose.

D. Classification of Writing Characteristics

Writing Characteristics – any property or mark which distinguishes, and referred to as

identifying marks in document examination.

Habits – Any repeated elements which may serve to individualized writing

Group of Handwriting Characteristics

1. Class Characteristics – those which conform to the general style acquired when
learning to write and which is fashionable at the particular time and place (common,
general or gross) Ex. Copy book form, slant, size, spacing)

2. Individual Characteristics – those introduced into the handwriting consciously or

unconsciously by the writer. They are highly personal or peculiar and are unlikely to
occur in other instances.

Note : These are the “Basis of Identification”

Kinds of Individual Characteristics

1. Conspicuous Characteristics – those that can be seen by our naked eye.

2. Inconspicuous Characteristics – those that cannot be seen by our naked eye at the first
glance, therefore, it needs special instruments to locate them prior to identification.

II. 3 Main Principles Of Handwriting Identification

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 1. Given a sufficient amount of handwriting, NO TWO SKILLED writers exhibit identical
handwriting features
2. Every person has a range of natural variation to his/her handwriting
3. Every person has a range of natural variation to his/her handwriting

Assessment Methods

3. Analytical Exam
4. Conduct of Request standards
5. Recitation

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I. WHAT IS SIGNATURE? (SME)

a. Name of a person written by himself as sign of acknowledgement

b. Refers to any designs or pattern written by a person in a document as a representation
of acknowledgement
c. Evidential Signature - Specimen signature which was executed in particular date,
particular time and place, under a particular writer's condition and for a particular
purpose
d. Model Signature - A genuine signature which has been used to prepare an imitated or
traced forgery

II. TWO STYLES OF SIGNATURES (CH)

a. Conventional or Ordinary Copy-book Form

b. Highly Individualized

III. CLASSES OF SIGNATURE

a. Formal or Complete - Class of signature used in acknowledging important document

such as will, checks, contracts and business papers
b. Informal or Cursory - A class of signature for routinary document or made for personal
correspondence
c. Careless Scribble - Used for mail carrier, delivery of goods, purchase of equipment and
autograph collector

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