This document provides an overview of signature analysis in forensic science. It defines what a signature is, discusses the different types of signatures and classes of signatures. It also covers the basic principles of handwriting analysis and examines the differences between authentic and forged signatures. Key aspects that are analyzed to identify signatures are discussed such as slant, letter formation, pen pressure and alignment. The document also lists some typical examination questions that signature analysis can help answer and describes the equipment used in the field.

2. By-Shivangi Rao
Volunteer of Applied Forensic
Sciences and Research (AFRS)

3. CONTENTS
Introduction
What is Signature?
Some typical signature examination questions
Classes of Signature
Basic Principle of Handwriting or signature
Authentic and Forged Signature
Signature: Individual or Class Evidence
Identification of Signature
Equipments
References

4. Introduction
 Graphology is the analysis of the physical characteristics and
patterns of handwriting and signature claiming to be able to
identify the writer, indicating the psychological state at the time of
writing, or evaluating personality characteristics.
 It is generally considered a pseudoscience.
 The term is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to forensic
document examination, due to the fact that aspects of the latter
dealing with the examination of handwritten documents are
occasionally referred to as Graphanalysis.

5. What is Signature?
 In the dictionary, we find that a signature is a name or a mark
that a person puts at the end of a document to attest that he is
its author or that he ratifies its contents.
 A Signature is a combined result of cumulative effect of a
number of factors such as muscular control, co-ordination,
health, age, frequency of writing, temperature etc.
 A questioned document is one in which a document in its
entirety, or in part, is subject to question as to authenticity
and/or origin.
 Any signature, handwriting, typewriting, or other marks whose
source or authenticity is in dispute or is doubtful.

6. Types of
Signature
Strike through
Signature
Track Back
Signature
Camouflage
Signature
Small
Signature
Extra stroke in
Signature
A Straight
Signature
Extremely Big
First letter

7. Some Typical Signature Examination
Questions
 Is the Signature Genuine?
 Is the document forged, and if so is it forged by a
particular person?
 Is the same person the author of several signatures?
 Did someone guide a person's hand as a will was signed?
 Did the doctor come back later and alter the signature?
 Did the signer of the document also initial the changes?
 What is written under the crossed out portion of the
signature?
 Was the signature written on the date indicated?
 Are there erasures on the signatures?
 Are there alterations or obliterations on the signatures?
 What was originally written or signed before the alteration

8. Classes of Signature
 Formal Signatures- Used on wills or other important
documents.
 Informal Signatures- used on routine documents and
personal corresponding.
 Careless Scribble- used for signing credit cards, mail
deliveries, autographs, or hotel registration forms.
 Autographs- used by celebrities.

9. Basic Principle of Handwriting or
Signature
 No two persons write exactly alike because no two persons
have the same experience in life and therefore their writing
will always vary.
 No one person writes exactly the same way twice.
 A writer is to able to imitate all the features of another
person’s handwriting while simultaneously writing at the
same relative speed and skill level as the writer he is
seeking to imitate.
 In simulating another’s writing, the simulator will try to
imitate those features that are most striking to his eye.
 For those writing where the writer successfully disguises his
normal handwriting habits or where he imitates or traces,

10. Authentic Signature
 Is the combination of writing
characters which are consistent
with natural conditions surrounding
the signed document.
 These characters are totally
incompatible with the state of mind
of forger.
 The genuine signature reveals lack
of attention to the writing process.
 Authentic writer has no fear of
being accused as a forger does.
 He writes freely and subconsciously

11. Characteristics of Authentic Signature
 Written rapidly.
 Have Rhythm when written by experienced writer
with proper health.
 May miss certain information.
 Introduce certain other forms.
 End Strokes Flourish.
 Smooth.
 Natural free flowing Appearance.

12. Forged Signature
 The signatures which are practiced illegally are not
genuine are termed as f
Characteristics Of Forged Signatures
 Appearance of being slowly written.
 Lack of Rhythm and Individuality.
 Unnatural Appearance.
 Appearance of being drawn.
 Attention towards formation of letters.

13. Types Of Forgery
Simulated or Free
hand Forgery
Lifted Forgery
Transplanted
Forgery
Simple Forgery Traced Forgery
Here the forger does not
imitate the signature of the
other person but he simply
signs his own signature without
any imitation.
Here the forger traces the original
signature on the other document.
The forger practices the
genuine signature and
tries to imitate the same
signature on the other
document
Here tape is used to lift
off a signature, then place
it on
another document.
It is usually done on
the stamps.

14. Pictures
Tape lifting
Forgery
Hand free
Forgery
Traced
Forgery

15. Basic Characteristics of Comparing
Signature
Line Quality
Smooth
Shaky or
Nervous
Connecting
Strokes
Crossed
out

16. Pen lifts
Word or letter
Spacing
Letter comparison
Pen lifts
Shading or pen
pressure
Unusual Letter formation
Baseline habits
Diacritic Placement
Flourish embellishments
Slant

17. The Signature at the left
(1)were written about 1
month those which are
seen at right(2)

18. Signature: Individual or Class Evidence
Class Characteristics:
 Features and dimensions of letters.
 Connection of letters to each other
 Capitalization
Individual Characteristics:
 Unique features of letters.
 The letter “O” open or closed
 Is the “n” written with a pointed tip.

19. Professional v/s Non professionals
Some example of signature of
professional men(Principle,Doctor,
Banker,Businesmen,Professor)
must use their sign many times a
day
Some example of non
professionals(Students,
Housewives etc) who use their
sign ocassionally

20. Identification of Signatures
The comparison of handwriting and signatures is done
with the assistance of the following characteristics-
 SLANT- This is
the angle of writing
and can be forward
or backward. Slant
in writing is
characteristic that
becomes highly
significant under
certain conditions
because it is one of

21.  T- CROSSING AND I-
DOT: One of the most
telltale strokes which will
give away the forger is the
t- crossing and another is i-
dot. No matter how careful
the imitatormay be, he will
have a hard time not
leaving his own
characteristics behind in
making these strokes.
•ALIGNMENT: Alignment is
the baseline of writing in
Roman Scripts. In English the
base line is at bottom. The
alignment may be ascending,
descending, even, irregular,
uneven, and wavy.
Loop “T”
I Dot at top
Crossed “T”
I Dot at right
I dot at top
Parallel
to the
Baseline
Slightly
upward
to the
baseline
Upward
to the
baseline

22.  LOOPS: Loops curved
strokes combined to form
a circle of a oval. It is the
closed oblong curve in
the letter, such as upper
parts of ‘l’ or of ‘h’ or the
lower parts of ‘y’ or ‘g’
 MOVEMENT: The
writing is executed with
the movement of fingers,
the wrist, the whole arm
or the combination of
some of these.
Movement is the way a
pen moves in order to
form a letter.

23.  Spacing-
 Arc-
 Buckle-

24. Equipment used in Signature
Analysis
Light Source
Microscope and
Magnification tools
Computer Equipment Infrared Reflectance

25. Significance of Signature Analysis
Signature verification may be applied to cases involving
–
 Alleged fraud
 Forgery
 Cheating
 Insurance claims
 Authentication of wills
 Contracts
 Agreements

26. References
 Ron N. Morris (2000), “Forensic Handwriting
Identification: Fundamental
Concepts and Principles”, Academic Press, Tokyo.
 Ordway. Hilton (1982), “Scientific Examination of
Questioned Documents”,Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
 Jay. Siegal, Geoffery Knupfer, Pekka Saukko (2000),
“Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, Three volumes set”
Elsevier.
 Dr. B. R. Sharma (2005), “Forensic Science in Criminal
Investigation and Trials”, Fourth Edition, Universal Law
Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd
 Huber A Roy, Headrick M. A (1999), “Handwriting
Identification: Facts and Fundamentals”, CRC Press Ltd.
 James and Norby (2003), “Forensic Science: An
Introduction to Scientificand Investigative Techniques”,
CRC Press, London

27. THANKYOU