Document Examiner vs. Graphologist

Handwriting analysis is employed in two different fields. The first is often referred to as "questioned document examination," a branch of the forensic sciences. Document examiners, according to the Association of Forensic Document Examiners, "answer questions relating to the reliability and authenticity of a document which may involve signatures, handwriting in general, or hand printing." This is a different branch of science from graphologists, or graphoanalysts, who examine handwriting characteristics in order to assess the character and personality of an individual. Graphoanalyst is a registered trademark of the International Graphoanalysis Society.