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A study of business letter features
Sandra Ramsey Lines1, Randy B Carodine
1Forensic Document Examiner, Houston Police Department, 1200 Travis-1011 A, Houston, Texas 77002, USA.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|August 5, 2005
Summary
Forensic document examiners analyzed word-processed letters to identify common features. Some features, like font and margin settings, were very common, while others may help identify the author or source.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Document Examination
- Digital Forensics
Background:
- Forensic document examiners frequently analyze word-processed documents.
- Understanding the prevalence of specific features in word-processed letters is crucial for source identification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the commonality of various features in word-processed business letters.
- To assess if these features can aid in identifying the author or source of the document.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 114 original business letters dated 1999-2003.
- Examination of features including letter format, font type, point size, margin settings (default and justification), and salutation punctuation.
Main Results:
- Full block format (48%) and semi-block (39%) were common letter formats.
- Times Family fonts (67%) and 12-point font size (70%) were prevalent.
- Non-justified default margins (67%) and colon in salutations (79%) were frequently observed.
Conclusions:
- Several word-processing features are common, providing a baseline for analysis.
- Unexpected findings suggest potential for identifying document sources or typists based on feature combinations.