Knowledge

Guides: handwriting and signatures

Guides to forensic handwriting and signature examination: comparison material, identification methods, GRAPHLOG and documenting results.

How should a handwriting and signature opinion be read?

These articles discuss reference material, writing authenticity and examination documentation. You will find explanations of terminology and methodological issues relating to document examination.

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Handwriting and signatures

Original or scan? Preparing a document for signature examination

Find out when an original document is needed, what can limit analysis of a scan and what information to prepare before a signature examination.

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Handwriting and signatures

Comparison material for handwriting examination: what to agree before handover

How should signed documents and handwritten entries be organised before examination? A checklist of points to agree on provenance, period and material transfer.

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Handwriting and signatures

Computer-assisted handwriting analysis in forensic science—using GRAPHLOG in handwriting examination

How does GRAPHLOG support handwriting examination? Learn about graphic-feature measurements, comparison of writing and the expert’s role in interpreting results.

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Handwriting and signatures

Forensic handwriting examination—identification methods, questioned material and the value of an expert opinion

Methods of identifying a writer, selecting reference material and the stages of examination. See what determines the value of a handwriting opinion.

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Handwriting and signatures

Handwriting examination methods—selected classical research approaches

The calligraphic, signaletic and photographic descriptive methods. Explore the development of traditional handwriting examination and the limitations of these approaches.

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Handwriting and signatures

Further traditional handwriting examination methods

A review of historical handwriting examination methods: Langenbruch, graphometric and Matveyev. Principles, measurements and limitations of their use.

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Handwriting and signatures

Selected methods of handwriting identification examination

How is handwriting variability analysed? Discussion of Duyster’s method, Brosson’s projections and the role of geometric measurements in comparing writing.

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Handwriting and signatures

Advanced measurement methods in forensic handwriting examination

Geometric structural and statistical methods of handwriting examination. Explore their principles, supporting role and limitations in signature assessment.

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Handwriting and signatures

Advanced approaches to handwriting identification—kinetic-geometric analysis, the graphical comparison method and graphology

Kinetic-geometric analysis, the graphical comparison method and graphology. An explanation of the differences between handwriting identification and personality assessment.

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Handwriting and signatures

Examination material in handwriting examination using the graphic comparative method

How is material selected for handwriting examination? The importance of comparison samples, document quality and the conditions in which the questioned writing was produced.

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Handwriting and signatures

Computer handwriting analysis in forensic science—the graphometric method and use of the GRAPHLOG system

Computer analysis of handwriting and signature characteristics using GRAPHLOG. The role of graphometric measurements, comparison material and expert interpretation.

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Handwriting and signatures

Forensic handwriting examination—expert opinions and document analysis

What does examination of handwriting and signature authenticity involve? Comparative methods, applications of document examination and presentation of results.

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Handwriting and signatures

Forensic handwriting examination from a methodological perspective—scope, examination material, stages of analysis and the evidential value of the expert opinion

The stages of handwriting examination: material assessment, comparative examinations and documentation. The significance of methodology and limitations for the opinion's conclusions.

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