CHE-30028 - Interpretation, Evaluation & Presentation of Evidence - ISP

Coordinator: Georgina E Handley Room: LJ0.17B Tel: +44 1782 7 33581

Lecture Time: See Timetable...

Level: Level 6

Credits: 30

Study Hours: 300

School Office: 01782 734921

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

This synoptic module will develop each student's ability to carry out the forensic
examination and reporting of evidence within the professional context of crime
scene examiner, forensic scientist and expert witness. The focus of much of the
module is in acquiring and developing a body of knowledge and a set of skills that
prepare the student for work as a professional forensic scientist.

Aims

This synoptic module will develop each student's ability to carry out the forensic examination of a crime scene then analyse and report on the evidence within the professional context. The fundamental role of the crime scene examination within the whole forensic and legal process will be stressed throughout this module. Particular
attention will be paid to control, continuity and quality assurance, experimental design,interpretation using statistical tools and databases, report writing and oral presentation. Expert witness training and the development of skills in explaining and
defending scientific work to a lay audience are integrated into the reporting aspects of this module.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/che-30028/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

explain and review critically the fundamental importance of
the crime scene examination to the overall forensic and
subsequent legal process; will be achieved by assessments: 1,3,4
describe and critically assess the issues around the acquisition of forensic evidence at a crime scene with particular attention to control, continuity, contamination, quality assurance and record-keeping; will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
devise and execute appropriate analytical and other methods for the examination of forensic materials, including setting up casework experiments; will be achieved by assessments: 1,3
interpret critically data from forensic analysis in a meaningful and structured manner, including the use of statistical tests and databases where appropriate; will be achieved by assessments: 2,3
report the results of forensic analysis both as a written report and orally in a form appropriate to a court of law and defend the conclusions under cross-examination. will be achieved by assessments: 3,4

Study hours

Lectures (22h)
Analytical laboratory work and crime scene laboratory (24h)
Workshops (10h)
Project laboratory (18h)
Problems classes (8h)
Class test (1h)
Mock court including practice session (2h)
Project work, data analysis and report writing (50h)
Directed study and self-managed learning (165h)

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Portfolio weighted 20%
Laboratory Portfolio
This portfolio of work includes short reports based on work in the analytical laboratory and on crime scene examination, and also a tutor assessment on practical skills at a crime scene. The crime scene work is mostly submitted as individual pieces though carried out as in a small team. Overall, the pieces of work total to an equivalent of 2000 words.

2: Class Test weighted 20%
Class test
A one hour mid-module class test based on two problem solving questions on forensic statistics and two short answer questions on issues in crime scene examination.

3: Report weighted 40%
Expert witness report on the evidence evaluation project
A court report equivalent to 4000 words on the analysis of evidence from a mock crime scene and its interpretation in light of the circumstances of the case. This forms the basis of the oral cross-examination (4).

4: Presentation weighted 20%
Oral presentation on work within project report
Presentation and cross examination within a mock court by two or three assessors on the court report and its interpretation in the context of the case. The presentation and questioning is of 20 minutes duration.

CHE-30028 - Module Specification School of Chemical and Physical Sciences Faculty of Natural Sciences

CHE-30028 - Module Specification
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences