Ms. Gina Londino
Lecturer-Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program glondino@iupui.edu
Office: LD 326 B
Phone: 274-6820
Prerequisites: None. Open to all students
Textbook (REQUIRED): Houck, M and Siegel, JA, Fundamentals of Forensic Science 2 nd
Edition, Elsevier, Boston, MA, 2010.
Attendance Policy:
You are required to attend class each meeting. Attendance will be taken every class and be calculated into your overall course grade. To receive attendance points you must arrive to class on time and stay for the entire period. There will be no excused absences; however, there will be an allotment of 2 absences during the semester.
Administrative Withdrawal
A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in class and conscientiously complete writing and reading assignments. Keep in touch with me if you are unable to attend class or complete an assignment on time. If you miss more than half our class meetings within the first four weeks of the semester without contacting me, you will be administratively withdrawn from this section. Our class meets twice per week; thus if you miss more than four classes in the first four weeks, you may be withdrawn. Administrative withdrawal may have academic, financial, and financial aid implications. Administrative withdrawal will take place after the full refund period, and if you are administratively withdrawn from the course you will not be eligible for a tuition refund. If you have questions about the administrative withdrawal policy at any point during the semester, please contact me.
Policy
Students who miss more than 50% of their class meetings of a given section during the first four weeks of the fall or spring semesters may be administratively withdrawn from that course unless documentation of contact with their course instructor, academic unit or academic advisor is provided. Undergraduate students may be administratively withdrawn regardless of class level.
Course Description
Forensic science is the application of scientific methods to matters involving the public.
One of its principle applications is the scientific analysis of physical evidence generated by criminal activity. During this course you will learn basic concepts in forensic science and

Concepts of Forensic Science I
Syllabus
G. Londino criminal justice system. Apply the basic concepts towards evidence collection and analysis.
Topics will include fingerprints, impression evidence, firearms, questioned documents, pathology, entomology, anthropology, and forensic science and the law and ethics.
Principles of Undergraduate Learning covered within the course
Core Communication and Quantitative Skills - Express ideas and facts to others effectively in a variety of written formats
Critical Thinking - Evaluate the logic, validity, and relevance of data; Synthesize information in order to arrive at reasoned conclusions; Analyze complex issues & make informed decisions
Integration & Application of Knowledge - Meet professional standards and competencies; enhance their personal lives
Intellectual Depth, Breadth, & Adaptiveness - Intellectual depth describes the demonstration of substantial knowledge & understanding of at least one field of study;
Intellectual breadth is demonstrated by the ability to compare & contrast approaches to knowledge in different disciplines
Values and Ethics – Make informed and principled choices regarding conflicting situations in their personal and public lives and to foresee the consequences of these choices
Course Content and Goals
Module 1 will include 1 unit. The overall goal of this module is to be able to navigate through the online information and have a general idea of what will be covered throughout the semester.
Module 1: Unit 1 – Introductory in Concepts in Forensic Science
 Locate tools used in OnCourse CL used throughout the course
 To interpret general concepts in forensic science
 Identify and describe the 9 major branches of forensic science
Module 2 will include 4 Units. The overall goal of this module is to have a better understanding of what forensic science is all about. This module covers general topics in forensic science such as crime scene investigation, forensic science laboratories, evidence, and ethics and law in forensic science.
Module 2: Unit 1 – Crime Scene Investigation
 Be able to describe crime scene investigation procedures
 Describe methods for collection and preservation of physical evidence from crime scenes
 Define the role of forensic science in crime scene investigation
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Module 2: Unit 2 – Forensic Science Laboratory and Scientists
 Indicate forensic science laboratory concepts
 Summarize the fundamentals of crime laboratory culture and organization
 Describe the possible job functions of a chemist in a forensic science laboratory
Module 2: Unit 3 – Evidence
 Have the ability to identify, characterize, and individualize evidence
 List and describe the various types of physical evidence and classify them by type
Module 2: Unit 4 – Ethics, Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Law in Forensic Science
 Describe how ethics are applied in the analysis of forensic evidence
 Describe how ethics are applied to the presentation of expert testimony in court
 Recognize the six major features of the Code of Ethics of the American
Academy of Forensic Sciences and of other major forensic science organizations
 Demonstrate quality assurance and control used in forensic science laboratories
 List and explain the rules of evidence that apply to scientific and physical evidence
Module 3 contains 3 Units. The overall goal of this module is to distinguish applications of specialized forensic science fields. This module covers pathology, entomology, anthropology, and odontology in forensic science.
Module 3: Unit 1 - Pathology
 Define the role of a forensic pathologist in criminal investigations
 Describe how each type of physical evidence is analyzed by forensic pathologists
Module 3: Unit 2 – Anthropology and Odontology
 Define the role of a forensic anthropologist and odontologist in criminal investigations
 Describe how each type of physical evidence is analyzed by forensic anthropologists and odontologists
Module 3: Unit 3 – Entomology
 Define the role of a forensic entomologist in criminal investigations
 Describe how each type of physical evidence is analyzed by forensic entomologists
Module 4 contains 3 Units. The overall goal of this module is to be able to identify and interpret types of pattern evidence. This module covers areas in impression evidence such as fingerprints, footwear, toolmarks, firearms, and questioned documents.
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Module 4: Unit 1 – Friction Ridge Patterns
 Identify the types of fingerprint patterns
 Explain, evaluate, and identify characteristics of fingerprints
Module 4: Unit 2 – Impression Evidence
 Describe how different types of impression evidence is analyzed
 Recognize the application of impression evidence such as tiretreads and footwear and firearm and toolmark analysis used in forensic science
Module 4: Unit 3 – Questioned Documents
 Describe forensic techniques used on questioned documents from an examiner’s analysis
Module 5 contains 2 Units. The overall goal of this module is to gain understanding of more specialized forensic science applications. This module covers computer forensics and forensic engineering. There also may be other specialized forensic experts speaking as available.
Module 5: Unit 1 – Computer Forensics
 Define keys terms used in the computer forensic field
 Describe the role of a computer scientist at a forensic investigation
Module 5: Unit 2 – Forensic Engineering
 Describe the role of an engineer at a forensic investigation
 Recognize terminology used in the forensic engineering field
Class procedures
1.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken every class period, except for the first 2 meetings due to students still registering and during exams. There are a total of 25 meetings throughout the semester. You will receive 5 points for each day attending class. A sign-in sheet will be passed around during class. Two classes will be dropped if missed; otherwise there is no excuse for missed class. This will total 115 points for class attendance. You will be responsible for anything covered in lecture.
2.
Exams: During the semester there will be three exams plus a final exam. The three exam dates have been set and are listed on the course syllabus. You are expected to take the exam when offered. Therefore there will be no make-up tests given. The tests will all be 50 questions of the multiple choice type. All students must take the final exam, which is cumulative of the entire semester’s work and made up of 100 questions. It will be given in the lecture room, HR 101, on the date and time specified in the schedule below. YOU MUST TAKE THE FINAL EXAM during the period set aside during final exam week. No make-ups will be given for this exam
3.
Quizzes: There will be quizzes given at the end of each unit within each module over the material covered. The quizzes will be taken on and submitted the Test and
Surveys Beta tool on OnCourse. The quiz over the unit must be completed during the week the unit is covered. Therefore, you will have until the next unit starts to
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G. Londino complete the quiz. This will usually be one week; however, sometimes may be shorter or longer. Please see the class schedule for when quizzes are due. Each quiz will be available to take on OnCourse and will be available for 15 minutes once the quiz in started. This is the allotted time that you will have to complete the quiz. The quiz will cover material from lecture, reading assignments in the textbook, activities associated with the materials, and even writing responses of the material. Quizzes will have questions that are multiple choice, short answer and essay. The quizzes are not graded automatically and will be graded within 24 hours of taking the quiz, with an exception to quizzes taken Friday evening through Sunday; these will be graded on Monday. Each quiz is worth 10 points. No late quizzes will be accepted
for partial credit.
4.
Response Writings: All assignments can be found under the Assignment 2 tool on
OnCourse. Response writings will be included in specific units of each module.
Responses writings may include reviewing a newspaper article or a journal article over the covered topic. As well as answering specific questions on a topic discussed in lecture. Make sure that you read the directions for each writing response. These will require the submission of a Microsoft Word document. Documents
submitted in Microsoft Works will not be accepted. A due date will be associated with each response writings; you should be able to see when all writing responses are due on the class schedule and under the Assignment tool on OnCourse. There are a total of 6 writing responses worth a total of 45 points. The rubric must be followed to receive full credit for the response writings. No late assignments will
be accepted for partial credit.
5.
Lecture Material, Reading Assignments, and Activities: You are responsible to review the section material including lecture material, reading assignments, and activities. Some power points will be available for review. You will not be graded on completing this material, however, you will need to learn the information and will be tested on the material. Most of this information will be kept in the Resource tool of OnCourse.
6.
Communication: Announcements will be made on OnCourse to changes in course content. To contact me with questions, concerns, or comments please email me directly. I will not use the messaging tool on OnCourse. I will respond to your email within 24 hours, with an exception to email sent Friday evening through Sunday. I will respond to your email on Monday. Please feel free to use the Chat Tool on
OnCourse to communicate with me and other students. I will only be available during Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm, to answer questions on the chat.
7.
Course Material: In order to read the various documents about this course, you must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. It is a free download from the Adobe website. I will also use Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2012. I would suggest an upgrade to the new version from UITS website if you don’t have done so.
You will need this to access word documents and power point slides that I post under resources.
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Internet: YOU MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET USING A BROWSER. All of the course materials including the answers to exams, assignments, news and announcements, last minute changes outlines of my lectures will be kept in an
OnCourse CL file for this class. In order to read the various documents about this course, you must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. It is a free download from the Adobe website. I will also use the 2007 version of Windows, you can either download a patch for Windows 2003 or upgrade to the new version from
UTIS website, which I recommend.
9.
Instructional Model: Owing to the large size of this class, the instructional model will be largely lecture. There will be guest speakers on most topics including their experiences in their forensic science field. There may also be some hands on activities throughout the semester on certain topics and/or discussion on certain topics. We will make liberal use of audio and visual aids to enhance the material.
10.
Extra Credit Opportunities: There may be extra credit opportunities during the semester. These would include going to Forensic Science events, lectures, activities, etc. that are offered throughout the semester and writing a one page paper reporting the event content and your personal option of the event material. Events will be through both the IUPUI and Indianapolis community. These will be announced in class as well as on OnCourse. The points available to receive for attending the event and paper will be issued on an event basis and will be announced with the event description.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GRADE AND GRADING SCALE
Points
3 midterm exams each worth 100 points 300
Final Exam 100
10 OnCourse quizzes each worth 10 points 100
6 Response Writings each worth 45 points 270
Attendance and Class involvement 115
Total 885
Grading Scale
Your grade will be based on a strict grading scale as outlined below. There will be no curving of final grades.
A-: 92.9 – 90%
C-: 72.9 – 70%
B+: 89.9 – 87%
D+: 69.9 – 67%
B: 86.9 – 83% B-: 82.9 – 80%
D: 66.9 – 63% D-: 62.9 – 60%
C+: 79.9 – 77%
F: less than 60%
A: 100 – 93%
C: 76.9 – 73%
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Concepts of Forensic Science I
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Rubrics
Response Writing Rubric for article reviews, discussion questions and essays
Content to Include in Writing Responses Points
Clarity in writing 5
Organization of material
Understand of topic
Answering the question(s)
Spelling and grammar
Overall Total
5
15
15
5
45
Academic Misconduct
(Taken from Academic Handbook, 2001and the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct) http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/acadhbk/acad_handbk_2001.pdf http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code
The Academic Handbook states that faculty members have the responsibility of fostering the “intellectual honesty as well as the intellectual development of students....The faculty member should explain clearly the meaning of cheating and plagiarism as they apply to the course....Should the faculty member detect signs of plagiarism or cheating, it is his or her most serious obligation to investigate these thoroughly, to take appropriate action with respect to the grades of students, and in any event to report the matter to the Dean of
Students. The necessity to report every case of cheating, whether or not further action is desirable, arises particularly because of the possibility that this is not the student’s first offense, or that other offenses may follow it. Equity also demands that a uniform reporting practice be enforced; otherwise, some students will be penalized while others guilty of the same actions will go free.” (p. 172).
Academic Misconduct: (from the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct)
1. Cheating: A student must not use or attempt to use unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise, including, but not limited to, the following: a. A student must not use external assistance on any "in-class" or "take-home" examination, unless the instructor specifically has authorized external assistance. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of tutors, books, notes, and calculators. b. A student must not use another person as a substitute in the taking of an examination or quiz. c. A student must not steal examinations or other course materials. d. A student must not allow others to conduct research or to prepare work for him or her without advance authorization from the instructor to whom the work is being submitted. Under this prohibition, a student must not make any unauthorized use of materials obtained from commercial term paper companies or from files of papers prepared by other persons. e. A student must not collaborate with other persons on a particular project and submit a copy of a written report which is represented explicitly or implicitly as the student's individual work. f. A student must not use any unauthorized assistance in a laboratory, at a computer terminal, or on field work.
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G. Londino g. A student must not submit substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than once without permission of the instructor to whom the work is being submitted. h. A student must not alter a grade or score in any way.
2. Fabrication: A student must not falsify or invent any information or data in an academic exercise including, but not limited to, records or reports, laboratory results, and citations to the sources of information.
3. Plagiarism: A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following: a. Quotes another person's actual words, either oral or written; b. Paraphrases another person's words, either oral or written; c. Uses another person's idea, opinion, or theory; or d. Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge.
4. Interference a. A student must not steal, change, destroy, or impede another student's work. Impeding another student's work includes, but is not limited to, the theft, defacement, or mutilation of resources so as to deprive others of the information they contain. b. A student must not give or offer a bribe, promise favors, or make threats with the intention of affecting a grade or the evaluation of academic performance.
Faculty Action
If a faculty member has information that one of his/her students committed an act of academic misconduct, the faculty member is required to hold an informal conference with the student. The conference should be prompt and private. If the faculty member concludes that the student is responsible for the misconduct, then the faculty member is authorized to impose an appropriate academic sanction (i.e., lower or failing grade on the assignment, assessing a lower or failing grade for the course).
After reporting the information to the Dean of Students, he/she will review the information to determine if additional sanctions should be applied.
Sanctions are outlined in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. This document appears on the web at the following address: http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code/
Policy on Student Academic Misconduct
Faculty are required to report all incidents of academic misconduct to the Dean of Students. For information about policies and procedures, including due process requirements, see the Code of Student Rights,
Responsibilities, and Conduct, especially part III: Student Misconduct and Part IV: Student Disciplinary
Procedures. The code is accessible on the internet at http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code
If you need any special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Adaptive Educational Services at
(317)-274-3241. The office is located in CA 001E.
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