1. Answer the questions:

1. Why is there a need for QDE (questioned document examination)?

2. What physical traces can assist to the forensic document examiner?

3. How can the forensic document examiner investigate handwriting/typing?

4. What types of documents are usually disputed?

5. How many stages are there in the process of examination?

6. What are they?

7. What optional stage may be used by the examiner?

8. How has the work of the forensic document examiner been simplified nowadays?

2. Make up sentences using the words below (the first word in the sentence is in bold type):

1. documents in dispute, a means of, the authenticity of, is, Document Examination, and, identifying forgery, establishing.

2. are, the information, physical traces, the writing instruments, the writer, assist, the history of a document, about, and, the writing surface, that, to uncover.

3. graffiti on a wall, may, a sheet of paper, be, forged cheque, etc., a questioned document, a ransom note.

4. the principle, individual features, handwriting identification, one person's writing, based on, from, is, distinguish, that, that of another, there are.

5. in the process of, stages, there, analysis, three, evaluation, generally, comparison, are, examination, and.

6. consisting of, the procedure, a fourth step, optionally, may, verification/validation, involve, peer review, or.

3. Complete the scheme with proper information from the text:

4. Write down an abstract to the text. Text 3

Pre-reading:

Look at the heading of the text. What is the text about?

Do you know what a graphologist is?

Do you know the difference between a graphologist and a document examiner?

Graphologists vs. Forensic document examiners

Generally, two categories of individuals are located during inquiries for questioned document examiners. These are Graphologists and Forensic Document Examiners. Although a forensic document examiner is not to be confused with a graphologist, and vice versa.

In the strict sense, graphologists claim to be capable of interpreting the character or personality of the writer by supposed traits left behind in the written line. They do not, by definition, compare handwriting to determine authorship or genuineness of the document.

Based solely upon handwriting, some graphologists consider themselves capable of making statements about the honesty, physical attributes and infirmities, or injuries of the writer. Some claim that a self-study and subsequent change of one's handwriting could control alcoholism, reduce depression and loneliness, turn failure (both social and business) into success, and cause many other miracles. Besides creating a complete personality profile, many other things are revealed in your handwriting, such as health issues, morality, past experiences, hidden talents, mental problems-- to name just a few. Graphology belongs to the field of psychology.

Graphologists will not have be recognized for testimony regarding documents that do not include human handwriting.

Questioned document examination is a branch of the forensic sciences. A document examiner is often asked to determine if a questioned item originated from the same source as the known item(s), then present their opinion on the matter in court as an expert witness. Other common tasks include determining what has happened to a document, determining when a document was produced etc. Document examination is employed in law enforcement investigations and prosecutions and in civil litigation.

The one common thing between graphology and document examination is that both involve handwriting. Training in document examination does not include graphology principles, and graphology has no relevance to the practice of document examination.

The Graphology/Forensic Document Examination association can be thought of as similar or analogous to that of the Astrology/Astronomy or Alchemy/Chemistry relationships.