Questions for authorship examination

Search questions

Text suitability

01Text suitabilityIs the submitted text suitable for authorship examination?

02Text suitabilityIs the length of the text sufficient to resolve the questions posed?

03Text suitabilityWhat limitations arise from the text's genre, brevity or content?

04Text suitabilityAre there signs of editing, quotation or reproduction of a template?

05Text suitabilityHow do the circumstances of the text's creation affect the scope for examination?

06Text suitabilityWhat additional texts and information are needed?

07Text suitabilityCan an examination be carried out using the copies submitted?

Comparison samples

08Comparison samplesAre the submitted samples suitable for comparison with the disputed text?

09Comparison samplesAre the texts comparable in genre, topic, length and time of creation?

10Comparison samplesWhat information about the origin of the samples is needed?

11Comparison samplesHow are differences in the circumstances of the samples' creation taken into account in comparison?

12Comparison samplesAre there enough samples to assess the stability of linguistic features?

13Comparison samplesWhat additional samples should be submitted?

14Comparison samplesWhat limitations arise when the origin of samples is disputed?

Authorship and linguistic features

15Authorship and linguistic featuresWas the text being examined written by the person whose language samples have been submitted?

16Authorship and linguistic featuresWere the submitted texts written by one author?

17Authorship and linguistic featuresWhat stable linguistic features have been identified in the texts being examined?

18Authorship and linguistic featuresWhat matches and differences were found in the comparison?

19Authorship and linguistic featuresWhat is the significance of the matches and differences established?

20Authorship and linguistic featuresWhat limitations prevent a categorical finding on authorship?

Anonymous messages and correspondence

21Anonymous messages and correspondenceAre the submitted messages, taken together, suitable for examination?

22Anonymous messages and correspondenceWhich messages can be considered comparable language materials?

23Anonymous messages and correspondenceAre there stable features relevant to comparison with the samples?

24Anonymous messages and correspondenceHow are quotations, forwarded content, autocorrect and formulaic phrases taken into account in the analysis?

25Anonymous messages and correspondenceWhat information about the context and sequence of messages is needed?

26Anonymous messages and correspondenceDo the materials allow a finding on the text's authorship within the scope of specialist knowledge?

Style and textual matches

27Style and textual matchesWhat features of linguistic style have been established in the submitted texts?

28Style and textual matchesWhich features may depend on genre and topic?

29Style and textual matchesHow do individual features relate to common language patterns?

30Style and textual matchesWhat textual matches and differences have been established?

31Style and textual matchesWhat limitations arise from quotations and publicly available formulations?

32Style and textual matchesAre the features established sufficient to resolve the agreed question?

Expert report review and limits of findings

33Expert report review and limits of findingsAre the source data used in the expert report under review sufficient?

34Expert report review and limits of findingsIs the choice of comparison samples justified?

35Expert report review and limits of findingsAre the methods applied appropriate to the questions and properties of the materials?

36Expert report review and limits of findingsAre the circumstances and limitations of the examination reflected?

37Expert report review and limits of findingsIs the reasoning from the features established to the findings substantiated?

38Expert report review and limits of findingsWhat contradictions or omissions were identified in the review of the expert report?

For a review

39For a reviewWere the genre, addressee and circumstances of creation of the texts being compared taken into account?

40For a reviewWere significant differences in the circumstances of preparation of the materials checked?

41For a reviewIs the finding that the texts are suitable for comparative examination substantiated?

42For a reviewDo the findings address the questions posed?

43For a reviewAre the source materials and limitations of the examination described sufficiently?

44For a reviewCan the course of the examination be checked from the report's text and appendices?

45For a reviewAre the analytical section and final findings consistent?

46For a reviewAre established facts distinguished from assumptions?

47For a reviewHave significant alternative explanations been considered?

48For a reviewWhich deficiencies may affect the report's validity?

These formulations are a starting point. Questions are refined according to the objects, available materials and the expert's competence.

How to prepare questions

Choose questions relevant to the disputed text and the available samples. State the origin, time and circumstances of creation of the materials. The examples need to be refined for the particular assignment.

Limits of the examination

Authorship examination concerns a text as a product of language. A finding on authorship does not automatically identify the account owner or the person who posted the publication. Legal classification, copyright infringement and assessment of evidence are matters for the authorised body. When a court commissions an examination, the questions are determined under the established procedural rules.

About questions for the expert

Discuss an authorship examination task

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For an assessment, please attach the disputed text, samples from the presumed author, questions and procedural documents.

Attachments: up to 10 files of up to 10 MB each, with a maximum combined size of 15 MB. If a file is rejected, the enquiry is not sent.

Questions for the expert

Text suitability

Comparison samples

Authorship and linguistic features

Anonymous messages and correspondence

Style and textual matches

Expert report review and limits of findings

For a review

How to prepare questions

Limits of the examination

Discuss an authorship examination task