Forensic Science

Forensic Science Winterim

Grading

Final paper = 25% Two notebooks

Notebooks (labs) and quizzes = 25% Blue = Lab manual and notebook

Individual and group work = 25% Red = Handouts

Winterim project/Fair Night = 25%

Guidelines and Rules

Absences from class
Lateness to class (and back from lunch at 12:45)
Lateness of work, including labs and other assignments
Behavior in groups, on and off campus
Using research and computer time well
Keeping up with the reading
Keeping up with the paper assignment
Going to gym period

BOE= Bodies of Evidence

CFD = Casebook of Forensic Detection

Every night you should assume you have the next day’s reading to do unless we tell you otherwise. Sometimes when we have a trip scheduled for the next day, you will not have reading homework to do, but you should still work on your papers! We may give a reading quiz the first thing each morning.

Day 1: Read handout from The Forensic Casebook, Chap. 1 – Scene of a Crime

BOE pp. 8-21 Gathering the Evidence

Handout from Cause of Death, pp. 64-68 Crime Scene

Day 2: BOE 137-145 Written in Blood

CFD 219-229 Time of Death and 197-216 Serology

Day 3: BOE 110-135 Fingerprints

CFD 90-121 Fingerprints and Tire Treads

Bring in an old shoe or boot for making an impression

Day 4: BOE 71-91 Skull and Bones

CFD 122-141 Forensic Anthropology

Day 5: BOE 160-172 Hanging by a Hair

CFD 249-290 Trace Evidence

Day 6: CFD 22-40 Cause of Death

Handout from Cause of Death, pp. 69-93 Autopsy

Day 7: BOE 47-69 With Poison Deadly

CFD 230-248 Toxicology

Day 8: BOE 105-109 Worm in the Flesh

Handout from The Forensic Casebook, pp. 124-134 Forensic Entomology

Handout from A Fly for the Prosecution, Chap. 2

Day 9: BOE 147-159 DNA Fingerprinting

CFD 55-69 DNA Typing

Start bringing in writing samples from adults

Day 10: BOE 187-205 Fire and Destruction

CFD 70-89 Explosions and Fire

Handout from Body Trauma, pp. 160-165 Burns on the Body

Bring in writing samples

Day 11: BOE 173-185 The Speeding Bullet

CFD 3-21 Ballistics

Handout from Body Trauma, pp. 18-21 Bullet Entry

Handout from Hidden Evidence, pp. 80-85, Knives and Blunt Weapons

Day 12: BOE 247-251 The Forensic Hardware

CFD 41-54 Disputed Documents

Handout from High Tech ID’s, pp. 65-69 on Signature Verification

Writing samples due tomorrow

Day 13: BOE 219-225 Speaking Likeness

CFD 291-300 Voiceprints

Handout, A Tremor in the Blood, Chap. 12, Scientific Opinion of Lie Detectors

Handout from High Tech ID’s, pp. 61-65 Voice

Paper Assignment

Suggested length: 6-10 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, 1” margins

Due date: Wednesday, January 29 (two printed copies, plus one copied emailed)

You will write a research paper that focuses on one of the branches of forensic science that we will be studying this Winterim. What do we expect in this paper?

Solid information and research. We expect you to use at least 2 books, 2 Web sites, and 2 magazine or newspaper articles (use ProQuest in the library) for your research. These sources should be reflected in the footnotes and bibliography and the information of your paper.

One or more sample cases. In addition to discussing the principles of the general forensic branch you will focus on (such as ballistics, entomology, or anthropology), you should discuss one or more cases and talk about how that branch helped solve the case(s). You should go into more detail than is provided in our textbooks, or even choose a case not covered in the texts. Feel free to include diagrams, charts, and pictures (though not in order to pad your paper).

Good research skills. We expect you to use proper footnote and bibliography form. We will use the MLA form in your Write for College book. We will work with you to help out with this. You will submit an emailed version of your paper for us to run through our plagiarism service. Plagiarism will result in serious penalties, possibly a Disciplinary Committee.

Good writing skills. You know: complete sentences and paragraphs, examples to support your statements, good grammar and mechanics, proofreading.

You might consider turning in one or more early drafts of your paper for our suggestions before the due date. The final copy of your paper will be on display for Winterim Fair, and your Winterim Fair project will be tied in to your paper topic.

Here are the paper topics (one per person):

Crime scene basics , Toxicology, Autopsy procedures, Entomology, Blood, DNA, Fingerprinting, Arson, Shoe and tire tread, Ballistics, Bones and facial reconstruction , Documents and handwriting analysis, Hair and fiber, Polygraph and voice

General resources and links

Zeno's Forensic site MysteryNet.com

Colleges and HS with Forensics

Fingerprints