12 characteristics of handwriting

1. Line Quality- Do the letters flow or are they written with very intent strokes 2. Spacing of words and letters- what is the average space between words and letters? 3. Ratio of height, width, and size of letters- are the letters consistent in height, width, and size? 4. Lifting pen: Does the author lift his or her pen to stop writing a word and start writing a new word?

5. Connecting strokes: How are capital letters connected to lower case letters? 6. Strokes to begin and end- where does the letter begin and end on a page? 7. Unusual letter formation- Are any letters written with unusual slants or angles? Are some letters printed rather written in cursive? 8. Pen pressure- How much pressure is applied on upward and downward strokes? 9. Slant- Do letters slant to the left or right? If slant is pronounces, a protractor may be used to determine the degree. 10.Baseline Habits- Does the author write on the line or does the writing go above or below the line? 11.Fancy writing habits- Are there any unusual curls, loops, or unique styles? 12.Placement of Diacritics- How does the author cross the t’s or dot the i’s