Retrace
Definition
Re-tracing of a stroke back over its original path, common in letters like d, t and lower-loop closures.
- Field
- Handwriting examination
- Definition
- Pen retraces a stroke over its original path
- Common in
- Letters d, t, and lower-loop closures
- Relevance
- Individual habit or sign of hesitation
Common questions
How is a natural retrace distinguished from a forger's retouch?+
A natural retrace typically follows the writer's habitual, fluent stroke path with consistent pressure and speed, while a retouch made to disguise or correct a copied signature more often shows pen lifts, tremor, or a change in line quality mid-stroke.
Why do letters like lowercase t and d commonly show retraces?+
The crossing stroke of a t or the closing loop of a d often requires the pen to return over ground already covered to complete the letterform efficiently, making retrace a normal feature of many writers' habitual movement rather than an anomaly.
Does the presence of retrace help individualise a writer?+
Yes, the consistency, location, and manner of retracing across a body of known writing contributes to the habit picture an examiner builds when comparing questioned and known writing samples.
Related terms
- ASTM E2290
- ASTM International standard guide for examination of handwritten items; lists the 21 discriminating elements that the examiner reports on.
- Baseline
- The imaginary line on which letters rest; can be straight, ascending, descending, convex, concave or undulating.
- Class Characteristic
- A feature shared by an entire group of objects (every shoe of one model has the same sole tread; every tire of...
- Exemplar (Standard)
- Authentic specimen writing of the suspect used for comparison. Two classes: request (taken under examiner control) and collected (pre-existing genuine writings).
- Handwriting
- A neuromuscular act in which graphic forms are produced on a surface; the product of motor memory built up through years of...
- Individual Characteristic
- A characteristic unique to a specific typewriter unit arising from manufacturing variation or service wear; used to identify or eliminate a specific...
- Line Quality
- The overall fluency, rhythm and pressure variation of a stroke. Genuine writing has smooth, rhythmic, pressure-modulated lines; forgeries show tremor, blunt starts...
- Pen Lift and Hiatus
- Pen lift is a deliberate stop and re-start within or between letters; hiatus is a gap left in a stroke that should...
- Ratio
- Proportional relationship between the heights of small letters, capitals and ascenders/descenders.
- Slant
- Angle of letters relative to the baseline (right-slant, vertical, left-slant). A habit-driven class plus individual feature.