Coalition of Handwriting Analyst

A. RESEARCH PLAN

I. OVERVIEW

An experiment is conducted in three phases. A question formulation phase, an experimental design phase, and an analysis/reporting phase. Before discussing the three phases, we will first discuss the definition of an experiment.

An experiment is:

a) a test, or trial;

b) a tentative procedure or policy;

c) an operation carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown
effect or law; to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law.

To address the issue of handwriting indicators of disease, CHAI will conduct operations under controlled conditions in order to test a hypothesis. The first such experiment will concentrate on brain impairment.

To obtain an “ANSWER” to a problem we first must know the “QUESTION”. There are three essential phases to a (statistical) project whose purpose is to determine precisely the “question” and to provide strict tests to insure the best possible “answer”.

II. LONG TERM GOAL

a. Establish a blueprint for researching handwriting indicators of brain impairment.

III. THE PRESENT SITUATION

a. Instructions and documents drafted to collect data (samples)

IV. DEVELOPMENT UP TO PRESENT

a. Forms Developed

i. Information and Instructions-2 (CHAI)

ii. Research Handwriting Sample Form-5 (CHAI)

iii. Release Form-Group Research Project (CHAI)

iv. Release Form-Individual Research Project (CHAI)

V. RECOMMENDATION(s)

a. Strategy

i. Thorough discussion with input and decision of approval by CHAI Executive Board.

ii. Refinement of the blueprint with specifics of how, what, when, where and why spelled out and blueprint re-approved if necessary.

iii. Solicitation of funding to begin immediately upon approval.

b. Summary of expected results

i. Scientifically demonstrating that indicators of brain impairment can be identified through analysis of handwriting.

c. Next steps to be taken

i. Blueprint approval

ii. Funding

iii. The beginning of research on indicators of brain impairment.

d. Delegation of tasks

i. To be announced

QUESTION/STATEMENT

Hypothesis/Assertion: There is a correlation between brain impairment and specific and detectable characteristics of handwriting.

I. PROBLEM STATEMENT/ Activities Phase I

a. Defining the characteristic(s) to be measured or counted.

i. Heavy pressure at top of upper loop (including but not limited to a dot, distortion, or flattening)

ii. Identifying which factors are influencing the results

iii. Brain impairment, for example, none, mild, severe

II. Deciding which factors to include or exclude in the “trial research”.
We appreciate the contribution to the section on "Causes of brain impairment" contributed by Arnold Sadwin, B.A., M.D., F.A.P.M., F.P.C.P doctor of neuro-psychiatry in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Dr. Sadwin is at the present time involved in a specialized project focusing on brain injury. For more information regarding Dr. Sadwin, please go to the Hononary Members page.

b. Causes of brain impairment

i. Intra-uterine - Congenital Defects

ii. Birth canal damage (forceps) - Cerebral Palsy

iii.    Severe trauma
   a. Slip & Fall
   b. Motor vehicle accidents (concussion, contusions, lacerations)
   c. Assault (fists, bullets, blunt instruments)

iv.   Tumors
    a. Primary
    b. Metastatic
    c. Vascular (subdural hematomas)
    d. Parasitic

    v.   Anoxia
    a. Drowning
    b. Choking
    c. Loss of air supply
    d. Heart failure
    e. Pneumonia
    f.   Anesthesia

    vi.   Infections
     a. Meningitis
     b. Encephalitis
     c. Blood poisoning

    vii.   Toxins
      a. Carbon monoxide
      b. Noxious gases and chemicals
      c. Drugs
      d. Alcohol
      e. Poison

viii. Vascular
    a. Bleeding
        1. Stroke
        2. Ruptured aneurysm

        b. Infarct
         1. Stroke
         2. Embolism

ix. Temperature - extreme external exposure

c. Diagnosis of Brain Impairment

i. History and Physical Examination

ii. MRI

iii. CAT Scan

iv. PET Scan

v. Spinal Tap

d. Control for

i. Multiple disease contribution

ii. Physical trauma

iii. Handwriting interpreter variation

iv. Physician bias/collection problems

v. Handwriter bias

III. Sampling methodology

a. All write the same words or phrase as individual words or phrases

b. Graphologist bias/anonymous groups

c. General population studies

IV. Answers to the following:

a. Are the variables measurable?

b. How accurately can they be measured?

c. What type of response can be expected?

d. What type of distribution of results would be reasonable?

e. Are the factors to be held “constant” or averaged?

f. Are the levels of the factors to be set to fixed values or to be set at random among all possible levels?

g. Are the factors to be varied quantitative (measurable) or qualitative?

h. How are the various factor levels to be combined?

C. DESIGN Activities Phase II

I. Establishing an economic plan for data collection

II. How many observations are to be taken?

a. The sample size depends on the answers to the following questions:

i. How large a difference is to be detected?

ii. How much variation is present?

iii. How much risk (error)?

III. Determining risks

a. What size risks (errors) are to be tolerated?

b. Determining the order in which data is collected. Very important! Once a decision has been made to control certain variables, all the other excluded variables (which cannot be controlled) must have their effects averaged out by proper randomization.

c. What is random order?

d. Selecting the model to be used to describe the “trial research.” These are the mathematical formulas that represent the distribution of the variables or the relationship between variables.

D. ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES PHASE III

I. Collecting the data.

a. Wide variety of options to be explored with the Research Team

II. Performing the necessary statistical calculations.

a. This might be the appropriate place to consider an outside company

III. Analyzing the data

IV. Providing an interpretation of results for the “experimenter”.

V. Reporting the results.