The Mystery of Lyle and Louise

Questioned Documents Expert Certification

How To Get Certified
Complete this exam and submit using the button below. To be certified as an expert witness, you must correctly answer at least 70% of the questions. You and your instructor will receive the results within 24 hours. Upon certification you will be awarded with a certificate and ID number to use during your class's mock trial. You may take the exam as often as you like, but keep in mind that the questions and number of questions may change at any time. Good luck!
Applicant Information
Name:
School:
Email Address:
Instructor's Name:
Instructor's Email Address:
1. What is the main goal of questioned document examination?
A. To determine the chemical composition of the ink used to write a document.
B. To determine the origin of manufacture of a document.
C. To distinguish one individual from another based on written documents.
D. To determine the type of paper a document on which a document is written.
2. When is questioned document analysis usually used in judicial court?
A. When “white collar” crimes such as forgery, counterfeiting, or fraud have been committed
B. When trying to solve a murder case.
C. When all other methods have failed.
D. None of the above.
3. What are the qualifications of a questioned documents examiner?
A. A Ph.D along with two years of training.
B. At least a four-year degree, along with two years of technical training.
C. A high school diploma, a two-year training program, and one year of apprenticeship.
D. A two-year degree, along with six months of technical training.
4. What are some of the stages of questioned document examination?
A. The questioned and the known items are analyzed and broken down to directly perceptible characteristics.
B. The characteristics of the questioned item are then compared against the known standard.
C. Evaluation of the similarities and differences of the compared properties determines which ones are valuable for a conclusion. This depends on the uniqueness and frequency of occurrence in the items.
D. All of the above
E. A and B only.
5. Of the following, what is the most important tool used by questioned document examiners?
A. Excellent eyesight
B. Hand lens
C. Stereomicroscope
D. Electrostatic detection apparatus
E. None of the above
6. Which is an organization that certifies questioned document examiners?
A. United States Department of Justice (USDJ)
B. American Federation of Forensic Document Examiners (AFFDE)
C. American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, Inc (ABFDE)
D. United Federation of Forensic Document Examiners (UFFDE)
7. Who was one of the top questioned document examiners who broke the “Hitler Diaries” case?
A. Gregory McKay
B. Kenneth Randell
C. Walter Edlen
D. Robert Bosworth
8. What is a questioned document examiner's role in court?
A. To present their opinion as an expert witness
B. To present their findings as absolute fact
C. To persuade the jury of the defendant's innocence
D. All of the above
E. None of the above.
9. What is ESDA?
A. Elastomer Strength Determining Apparatus
B. Electronic Stationary Determining Apparatus
C. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus
D. None of the above
10. Why is ESDA useful?
A. It can link an original document to a forgery
B. It detects impressions in paper that are undetectable to the naked eye
C. It applies opposite charges to paper and toner or ink
D. All of the above
E. A and B only
11. What is TLC?
A. Topical Layer Chromatography
B. Typical Layer Chromatography
C. Thin Layer Chromatography
D. Tender Loving Care
12. How is TLC used in questioned document examination.
A. As a primary method of questioned document examination due to its usefulness
B. As a last resort technique due to the fact it destroys part of the document
C. TLC is never used in questioned document examination
D. None of the above
13. In 2005, a television program used questioned document analysis to re-examine the Lindbergh baby kidnapping mystery to determine whether Bruno Hauptman was indeed guilty. What was this program?
A. Nova
B. America's Most Wanted
C. Judge Judy
D. Forensic Files
E. CSI
14. True or False: The ABFDE's certification program is limited to permanent residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
A. True
B. False
15. Which of the following must an applicant to a questioned document analysis program pass in order to become eligible for certification?
A. Eyesight test
B. Form-blindness test
C. Color perception test
D. All of the above
E. A and C only
16. Why is it important to use pencil when drawing the dots on the TLC plates?
A. So that they can be erased if a mistake is made
B. So that the solvent doesn't dissolve the dots and mix them with the ink samples
C. In order to make them stand out from the ink
D. All of the above
17. True or False: In order for the TLC plates to work properly, it is imperative that the sample dots are submerged in the solvent.
A. True
B. False
18. Why does handwriting change from the copybook forms learned from childhood?
A. In order to make it easier to write more quickly
B. In order to make the handwriting more aesthetically pleasing
C. In order to distinguish one's handwriting from that of others
D. All of the above
E. A and B only
19. When choosing relative characters, to how many samples must they be applicable?
A. Two thirds
B. At least half
C. All of them
D. The actual number doesn't really matter
20. In the lab procedure, how do you calculate retention factor?
A. Rf = distance spot traveled / distance solvent front traveled
B. Rf = distance solvent front traveled / distance spot traveled
C. Rf = distance spot traveled x distance solvent front traveled
D. Rf = distance solvent front traveled x distance spot traveled
21. In the lab procedure, how long should the TLC plates be allowed to remain in the solvent?
A. Until the ink sample reaches 1cm from the top of the plate
B. Until the solvent front just reaches the top of the plate
C. Until the solvent front has reached 1cm from the top of the plate
D. Until the ink samples reach the top of the plate
E. The actual distance doesn't matter
22. In the lab procedure, how many spots are placed on each TLC plate?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
E. 6