The Empirical Study Of Low-level Handwriting Identification

Research on low-level handwriting has its disadvantages. The theory about thedefinition, classification of low-level handwriting, its characteristics, matters needingattention during identification and the conclusion is not deep enough, which causesdifficulties in defining, rough classification and description of characteristics, and theproblem of high rate of uncertain conclusions. In addition that the theory is notthorough, the empirical research is also lack of detailed data and cases to support. Inthis paper, many low-level handwriting examples and cases has been collected.Methods of observation, data statistics and comparative analysis are used to do theempirical research on questions related to the low-level handwriting identification.This paper is divided into four parts, full text of more than a total of50,000words.The first part is the analysis of problems about writing level and low-levelhandwriting. The first half part starts with describing the theory about “writing level”,including the definition of its concept, the relative evaluation criterion, the logicalrelation between “writing level” and “proficiency of writing”, its cognitivecharacteristics and the value about dividing it into different levels. The second halfpart is the logical deduction on the low-level handwriting. Firstly, the low-levelhandwriting is defined on multiple perspectives and the causes of its formation areanalyzed. Secondly, the basic theory of handwriting is used to study the constructivecharacteristics about low-level handwriting to highlight its individuality, and then Igive my sure answer to the question whether the low-level handwriting is qualified toidentification. Lastly, this part describes the status and significance to study theidentification of low-level handwriting. By comparing different ages of collegestudents’ handwriting level, we can find that the positive correlation between writinglevel and education degree is declining with the popularity of electroniccommunications and office software, which will result in our thinking about therelated problems of low-level handwriting identification. The second part describes the characteristics and writing features of low-levelhandwriting, which is the main part of this paper. This section is divided into fivemajor points. The first is the analysis of the characteristics of low-level handwritingfrom pen movement, words’ structure form and text layout. The second is the studyabout static and dynamic characteristics of low-level handwriting. The third is thecomparative empirical study about different samples of low-level handwritings, whichwere written by college students and coal miners. Since the two types of low-levelhandwriting results from different reasons, they share same writing features, but alsovary from each other. By statistical comparison of writing features, including writingproficiency, chirography, word size, pen pressure, pen moves, order of strokes,collocation proportion and style, I come up with the performance law of writingfeatures of low-level handwriting written by people in different education levels. Inthe fourth point, with the collected low-level writing samples and typical casesencountered in practice department, I give my thorough elaboration about the generaland detailed writing features in three aspects, the description of the writing feature,their performance in this type of writing, their value and matters needing attentionduring identification, in order to elaborate writing features in more intuitive way, sothat this paper will be stronger in operation guidance. The fifth point describes theperformance laws of low-level handwriting. Summarized on the basis of abovecontent, the laws are low-level handwriting features’ changeability, group similarity,oneness and diachronic development, etc. The focus is the analysis of the law ofchangeability. The reason changeability result from will be analyzed by handwritingtheory and philosophy principles. Its dialectical effect on the identification oflow-level handwriting will also be studied.The third part set forth the methods and main points of low-level handwritingidentification. In the former half of the part, I compare low-level handwriting withsome confusable types of handwritings, which are the handwriting with the writinglevel reduced deliberately, the elderly handwriting and pathological handwriting, to Find the essential reason why they have similar characteristics and writing features toprovide scientific guidance for low-level handwriting identification. In the last half ofthis part, I describe the major points of low-level handwriting identification. Intraditional identification procedure, there three steps, which are respective test,comparison test and comprehensive evaluation. While this paper does not focus on thespecific operation of identification, but focus on the problems of material analysis,sample collection and the nature of different handwriting features. Then I put forwardmy solution and suggestion. In this part, I combined my study with practical casesencountered in practice in order to make this paper more found and reasonable.The fourth part is about the related problems of the result of low-levelhandwriting identification---appraisement opinion. In the practice of low-levelhandwriting identification, uncertain appraisement opinion becomes an importantform we cannot ignore. Uncertain appraisement opinion is in an awkward position. Itis an objective, scientific and reasonable existence, but conflicts with the current rulesof evidence, its qualification to be the evidence is questionable. It is the result ofmultiple factors. Therefore, I analyze the cause of uncertain appraisement opinionfrom its underlying bases of object, experience and method and the certain judicialenvironment. Then I come up with the appraisal settlement mechanism and methodsabout how to minimize the number of uncertain appraisement opinion. Themechanism includes the system of classification of sample extraction, the minimumquantity of handwriting sample requirement, perfecting former informing program,standardizing appraisal material quality, improving surveyors’ occupation literacy andstrengthening judicial supervision. The mechanism is to provide useful help to solvethe problem.