Week 2 – Discussion

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Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

 Classifications of Evidence Presentation [WLOs: 1, 2, 4] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5]

There are several types or classifications of evidence. How evidence is collected or packaged may vary from one classification to another. Prior to beginning work on this discussion, please review:

• From the text:
  • Chapter 3: Digital Forensics
  • Chapter 6: Trace and Materials Evidence
• From the free PDF copy at the web page Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward (2009) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.: Chapter 5: Descriptions of Some Forensic Science Disciplines
• From the free, downloadable resource at the web page Crime Scene Investigation Guide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.: Section C: Processing the Scene
• The videos Evidence and Forensics: Due Process and Forensic Science in Action: From Crime Scene to Courtroom

You may also want to review the recommended help guides for PowerPoint and Screencast-O-Matic. You are also strongly encouraged to review the other recommended resources, as they will help you explore different types of evidence, as well as packaging and processing.

You are an intern at a forensic Crime Scene Response Unit (CSRU) and as part of your duties, the unit manager has asked you to develop a presentation on evidence for a Citizens’ Academy class. Develop a short presentation about the classification of evidence assigned. For this discussion forum evidence has been categorized into six types, although the evidence in each of these six categories could be further separated. You will be assigned topics by last name to complete this presentation. Your presentation will comprise slides containing visuals and bullet points, as well as narrating content. You can use PowerPoint to create your presentation using this Ashford web page Presentations (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. or any other presentation software and record yourself narrating it with Screencast-O-Matic. You are not required to be on camera but may choose to do so if you please.

You are assigned the following topics based on the first letter of your last name:

• A through C: Trace evidence: hair, fiber, glass, paint, soil
• D through E: Fingerprints
• F through L: Patterns: firearms, tool marks, tire tracks, and footprints
• M through O: Documents and electronics
• Q through S: Blood and biological
• T through Z: Combustibles and explosives

The instructor has the discretion to reassign students to an alternative category to ensure topics are all covered.

Your presentation must address the following elements:

• description of the type(s) of evidence included in this category
• an overview of how that type of evidence emerged
• how it was first used and any historical significance
• current uses
• how it should be documented
• packaging methods
• explanation of why this methodology is used
• potential admissibility issues in court

PowerPoint or any other presentation software may be used to visually present your research design. Write speaker’s notes as a script at the bottom of each slide to enable smooth narration. Narration is required. To include narration, you will need to record your presentation using Screencast-O-Matic or similar software and link it to share with others. You will need either a laptop’s built-in microphone or an external microphone headset to record your voice.

The file for the presentation should be attached or embedded in your post for your peers to review, and be sure to add the link to your screencast recording. The following presentation resources are available in the Ashford Writing Center for you to use:

• How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
• Presentation Tips (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Your presentation should have a minimum of five content slides (excluding cover and reference slides) and be at least three minutes long. Support your presentation with examples from this week’s required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources and properly cite any references either in the text, on bullet points, or in the notes section.

You must use at least one scholarly or credible professional resource to support your presentation. The presentation must include a cover slide, and references slide for sources cited in the body of the presentation. In the notes section of the references slide, you must indicate how the group divided the work.

Guided Response: Respond to at least two of your classmates’ presentations by Day 7. You should select presentations on a category of different evidence than yours. Your responses should contribute to the analysis of working with this type of evidence by asking about the material presented or providing feedback on the presentation’s thoroughness or effectiveness. You must support your responses with examples from this week’s required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources and properly cite any references. Remember science is objective, not a matter of subjective opinions. Responses to your peers should be at least 100 words in length.

Also, remember that this is a discussion. If a peer or your instructor asks you a question, it is your responsibility to respond. Continue to monitor the discussion forum until 5 p.m. on Day 7 of the week.