Observation Skills

A fact is a statement of information that can be verified 

• True 
• False 

What we perceive about a person depends, in part, on their mannerisms, gestures, and our life experiences.  

• True 
• False 

Through our senses of sight, taste, hearing, smell, and touch, we gather information every single moment about what is around us.

• True 
• False 

Our emotional state influences our ability to see and hear what is happening around us. 

• True
• False 

One of the most important tools of the forensic investigator is the ability to:

• observe, interpret and report observations clearly
• Observe assumptions clearly 
• Report assumptions clearly 
• None of the choices 

Perception:

• Is faulty
• Is not always accurate 
• Does not always reflect reality
• All of the choices apply 

Criminal investigations depend on the observation skills of all involved.  Those involved include:

• Police investigators
• Forensic scientists 
• Witnesses
• All of the choices 

Forensic science is also referred to as :

• Criminalistics
• Forensics
• Science applied to law
• All Choices are Correct

Whether observing at a crime scene or examining collected evidence in the laboratory, the forensic examiner must be able to:

• Identify the evidence
• Record the evidence
• Determine the significance of the evidence
• All of the choices 

A person who has seen someone or something and can communicate these facts is:

• An eyewitness 
• A witness
• A personal observer
• A court reporter