HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS 3 Main Principles of Handwriting Identification

Group of Handwriting Characteristics 1. Given a sufficient amount of handwriting, NO

TWO SKILLED writers exhibit identical
1. Class Characteristics – those which conform to
handwriting features
the general style acquired when learning to
write and which is fashionable at the 2. Every person has a range of natural variation to
particular time and place his/her handwriting
3. Every person has a range of natural variation to
Group = General style his/her handwriting

Class characteristics is the first basis of Writing Characteristics

comparison.
I. Writing Characteristics Commonly Involved in
the Examination of Handwriting

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

individual letters.
2. Individual Characteristics – those introduced
into the handwriting consciously or ELEMENT OF LETTER FORM
unconsciously by the writer. They are highly
personal or peculiar and are unlikely to occur a. Arc or Arch – rounded inner part of an upper
in other instances. curve
- Personal/Peculiar/ Distinct

*Note: These are the "Basis of Identification”

b. Beard – an introductory up and down curve
(double hitch)
Kinds of Individual Characteristics

1. Conspicuous Characteristics – those that can be

seen by our naked eye.
c. Blunt - Abrupt beginning and ending
2. Inconspicuous Characteristics – those that strokes (Heavy pressure in handwriting).
cannot be seen by our naked eye at the first
glance, therefore, it needs special d. Buckle knot – horizontal loop to complete a
instruments to locate them prior to letter.
identification.

Classification of Writing Characteristics

e. Central part or body – small circle that lie on
Writing Characteristics – any property or mark which the base line (imaginary or rule)
distinguishes, and referred to as identifying marks in
document examination.

Habits – Any repeated elements which may serve to f. Dactus broken/junction broken – disconnected,
individualized writing. non - continuous stroke

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 Dactus Link- continuous stroke.

p. Whirl – long upward stroke

g. Eyeloop/eyelet – Small oblong strokes

q. Space filler/terminal spur – long downward and

h. Foot of the letter or oval – the bottom part of upward terminal stoke
the letter that lies on the base-line.

2. System – refers to the particular style or system

of writing practiced or learned in childhood.
i. Diacritic – element added to complete a letter
- Style of writing
- Sexually driven, big writing

2.1 Old English Round Hand of 1849

j. Hitch – a backward introductory or ending
stroke ( pagbwelo sa pagsulat)

k. Hook/through – a minute and involuntary talon

– like formation often found at the 2.2 Modified Round Hand of 1960
commencement of an initial stroke

l. Hump – the rounded outside top of the bend in

small letters
2.3 Spencerian System of 1865-1890
m. Spur/Initial Spur – lone running initial or
terminal strokes.

n. Knob – rounded appearance at the beginning

2.4 Modern Vertical System 1890-1900
and ending of stroke

o. Main stroke/shank stem – long downward

stroke (backbone of the letter)

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 2.5 Angular System Retouching/Patching- the process
of going back to the detective
Pointed Formation
potion of writing.
No Loop Formation
- Fixing the part of, the stroke
 Girl British
System- Nation defects

Pointed stroke 5. Connections, Connecting Stroke or Links – it

refers to the strokes or links which connect a
letter with one following.

3. Muscular Habits or Coordination – muscles

should coordinate or contribute in order to 6. Size – as a writing characteristic is somewhat
have a continuous process, downward and divergent under varying conditions and may
upward coordination in making letters or words. have but little
significance when
- Hesitation applied to only one
example, or to a small
quantity of writing like signatures, unless the
divergence is clearly pronounced.
NOTE: - Height
- Habits - is any repeated elements which - Not reilable to identification.
may serve to individual writing
 Good basis for, identification 7. Slant – this refers to the slope of writing in
 Repeatedly done relation to the base
line.
- Significant Writing Habits - elements of one's - Angle of writing
writing that are sufficiently unique and well-
fixed to serve as a strong basis of
individuality 8. Spacing –between letters in words depend
upon the length of the connecting strokes or
- Guided signature (assisted links.
writing) is signature actually - Measure between
produced by the cooperation letters, words,
of two hands and two minds sentence, paragraphs,
spacing after period.
4. Retracing – any strokes which
goes back over another 9. Proportion – of a part or to the
writing stroke is retracing. other part of a letter, or the
- Unconscious relative height of one letter to

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 another letter can be found in different writings, in ornamental penmanship, in
writings. blackboard writing, and by few writers in
- Different form size making all the capital letters.
- Height of each letter - Entire arm until shoulder
- Large format writing
10. Movement – is an important element of - Motion is slow
handwriting. It embraces all of the factors which - Doesn’t greatest freedom
are related to the motion of the writing
instrument, skill, speed, freedom, hesitation, Line Quality – refers to the visible record in the written
rhythm, emphasis, tremor, and the like. stroke of the basic movement and manner of holding
the writing instrument.
Different Writing Movements Employed by Different
Writers 11. Tremor – a writing weakness portrayed by
irregular shaky strokes.
1. Finger Movement – thumb, index and middle - Shaky- Wavering strokes
finger are used exclusively in the writing of - Lack of skill, Weakness of muscles of hand
letters.
- Less fredom Deviations from uniform strokes or the lack of
- Poorest quality of writing. smoothness perfectly apparent even without
- Writing is all about moving of magnification.
fingers Lack of muscular skill with the pen.
- Lateral movement
Kinds of Tremor
2. Hand Movement – it involves actions of the
1. Genuine Tremor such as Tremor of
hand as a whole, with fingers playing but a
Age, Illiteracy and Weakness.
minor role, their action being limited mainly to
the formation of the smaller parts of the letter.
- Offers more freedom
- More lateral movement
- Movement or wrist - Very obvious
- Produce by natural cause
3. Forearm or Muscular - Found from initial- terminal
Movement – writing is produced by movement
of both hand and arm and also fingers in some 2. Tremor of Fraud
cases. The elbow is the pivot of the lateral Pen Hesitation- it is a product of non- continues
movement. writing execution found along the ink lines
- Center of motion is elbow resulting from abnormal speed of writing.
- Greatest freedom
- Most comfortable - Hesitation
- Product of pen hesitation
4. Whole-arm Movement – this movement - Not obvious
involves action of the entire arm without rest
and is employed in very large ornamental

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 12. Skills – the proficiency in the art of writing 5. Exact location
usually perceived to manual dexterity and
legibility in writing. 16. Pen – emphasis - it refers to the
more obvious increase in the
 Dexterity – Moving the pen without pain or width of the stroke.
difficulty
 Legibility- Readable, clear writing - More obvious shading
- All pen showcase emphasis
13. Rhythm – the elements of the writing
movement which is marked by regular or 17. Pen Position/ pen hold – the relationship
periodic recurrences. It may be classified as between the pen point and the paper is known
smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its quality. It is as pen position and the line of writing and
a product of harmonious handwriting motion between the pen point and the paper surface,
in uniformed deviation. are the elements of pen position. Both
conditions may be reflected in the writing.
- It has regularity, showcase
consistency, uniformity - Depends on the manner of holding the pen
- Motion of hand must be
18. Pen Pressure – the average force with which
harmonious/ graceful
the pen contacts the paper, it may be estimated
Basis for rhythm
from an examination of the writing. Pen
Regularity in slope
pressure as opposed to pen emphasis deals
Regularity in size
with the usual or average force involved in the
Regularity in curvature
writing rather than the periodic increase.
Note: “Calligraphy” is the art of beautiful writing and
- Uniformed width of shading
“Cacography” is a bad writing
19. Pen Lifts – an interruption in a stroke caused by
“Caco latin words of ugly”
removing the writing instrument from the
14. Speed – slow, moderate and rapid. paper.

- Lift or remove the pen(intentionally)

- Gap or pagkaputol

Hiatus – Interruption in strokes produced

15. Shading – the widening of the ink stroke due to without lifting the writing instrument
added pressure on a flexible pen point or to the - Interruption not because of lifting the pen
use of stub pen. - Defective writing instrument.

- Affected by pressure

Shading Considerations:

1. Form
2. Intensity
3. Skill
4. Frequency
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20. Pen stops- Momentary stops in a written stroke 12 METHODS/ POINTS OF COMPARISON
while the pen point is at rest with the writing
surface; usually represented by the presence of  Uniformity
“knob”.  Irregularities
 Size and proportion
 Alignment
 Spacing
 Degree of slant
21. Pen scope- Represent the reach of the hand  Weight of stroke
while writing.  T-bars and -dots
 Needle, wedge, round and flat
- Lateral freedom movement  Loops
- Without hand adjustment  Circle formations
 Initial and final strokes
22. Terminal and Initial Strokes – terminal strokes
refer to the last element of a letter; initial Assessment Methods
strokes refer to the first element of a letter of
first letter of a loop. 1. Analytical Exam
2. Conduct of Request standards
- started and ended 3. Recitation

23. Alignment – is the relation of successive

characters or letters of a word, signature or line
of writing to an actual
or imaginary baseline.

24. Arrangement

25. 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.

- Decorative stokes
- Make writing more attractive to the eye
- Signature
- Security (the more embellishment the more
difficult to copy)
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