How to Become a Handwriting Expert

Handwriting experts, or questioned documents examiners, differ from handwriting analysts, or graphologists. Experts examine documents, verify signatures and detect forgeries. They study and analyze disputed handwriting or documents for authentication or legal purposes. They work to detect forgery, counterfeit and fraud.

Instructions

1. Research and become familiar with handwriting as it is examined by questioned documents experts. Read general handwriting books and continue with your field of interest such as forensic science, fraud or forgery. Other topics to study include law, criminology and accounting depending on your interest.

2. Enroll in school. Take certification courses in handwriting or correspondences courses which usually take 18 months to complete. Consider professional accredited coursework.

3. Document examiners receive certification by passing a written exam, submitting case files from your past cases and finally passing an oral exam. Practice for 10 years or more and contribute to your field by publishing and presenting at conferences and you may qualify for a Diplomate Diploma.

4. Consider a specialized branch of work such as forensics or fraud. Examinations are required for both. Fraud examiners need a bachelor's degree before continuing with further certification. Forensics requires a Bachelor of Science degree.

5. Practice what you learn. Determine a person's natural writing style by examining their own original writings. Get an internship or an apprenticeship. Check out professional associations to see where the opportunities are.

6. Join handwriting associations, attend seminars and conferences and subscribe to journals on handwriting (see Resources below). This keeps you up with current issues in the field and is a networking opportunity.

7. Publish in professional journals, teach or speak at conferences to advertise your expertise and become known in the field.

Tips & Warnings

• Certified fraud examiners are employed in litigation support, auditing, criminology and as insurance claim inspectors.

Resources

• American Society of Questioned Document Examiners
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners also has local chapters.
• National Association of Document Examiners