Skip to content

Forensic Science Concept List

This is the master list of 258 concepts used in the Forensic Science intelligent textbook. Each concept label is in Title Case and is at most 32 characters long. These concepts span all 15 chapters across 6 thematic modules.

Module 1 — Forensic Infrastructure and Crime Scene Methodology

Chapter 1: Introduction to Forensic Science & Law

  1. Forensic Science Overview
  2. Scientific Method in Forensics
  3. Locard Exchange Principle
  4. Daubert Standard
  5. Frye Standard
  6. Expert Witness Role
  7. Expert Witness Ethics
  8. Evidence Admissibility
  9. Fourth Amendment Rights
  10. Fifth Amendment Rights
  11. Search and Seizure Law
  12. Warrant Requirements
  13. Criminal Law vs Civil Law
  14. Criminal vs Civil Standards
  15. Criminal Justice Structure

Chapter 2: Crime Scene Investigation & Documentation

  1. Chain of Custody
  2. Seven S's of Crime Scene
  3. Crime Scene Perimeter Security
  4. Primary vs Secondary Scenes
  5. Crime Scene Documentation
  6. Crime Scene Photography
  7. Crime Scene Sketching
  8. Scaled Sketch Techniques
  9. Triangulation Measurement
  10. Evidence Search Patterns
  11. Grid Search Pattern
  12. Spiral Search Pattern
  13. Zone Search Pattern
  14. Evidence Identification
  15. Evidence Collection Protocols
  16. Evidence Packaging Materials
  17. Druggist Fold Technique
  18. Biohazard Evidence Containers
  19. Physical Evidence Types
  20. Trace Evidence

Module 2 — Physical and Microscopic Trace Evidence

Chapter 3: Fingerprints (Dactyloscopy)

  1. Dactyloscopy
  2. Friction Ridge Skin
  3. Dermal Papillae
  4. Fingerprint Pattern: Loops
  5. Fingerprint Pattern: Whorls
  6. Fingerprint Pattern: Arches
  7. Ulnar vs Radial Loops
  8. Whorl Subtypes
  9. Tented Arch Pattern
  10. Minutiae Points
  11. Ridge Endings
  12. Bifurcations
  13. Patent Fingerprints
  14. Plastic Fingerprints
  15. Latent Fingerprints
  16. Fingerprint Substrates
  17. Cyanoacrylate Fuming
  18. Ninhydrin Development
  19. Silver Nitrate Development
  20. Iodine Fuming
  21. AFIS Database
  22. Fingerprint Individualization

Chapter 4: Hair & Fiber Analysis

  1. Hair Anatomy
  2. Hair Cuticle Structure
  3. Hair Cortex Structure
  4. Hair Medulla Structure
  5. Medullary Index Calculation
  6. Human vs Non-Human Hair
  7. Hair Scale Patterns
  8. Pigment Granules in Hair
  9. Natural Fibers
  10. Synthetic Fibers
  11. Fiber Microscopy
  12. Burn Testing of Fibers
  13. Chemical Solubility Testing
  14. Class Evidence Concept

Chapter 5: Glass, Soil, & Sand Analysis

  1. Glass Composition
  2. Refractive Index
  3. Becke Line Test
  4. Immersion Oil Technique
  5. Radial Fracture Lines
  6. Concentric Fracture Lines
  7. 3R Rule for Glass
  8. Glass Fracture Sequence
  9. Glass Fracture Mechanics
  10. Soil Composition Analysis
  11. Soil pH Measurement
  12. Particle Size Distribution
  13. Gradient Tube Density
  14. Sand Mineral Analysis

Module 3 — Biological Evidence and Biochemistry

Chapter 6: Forensic Serology

  1. Blood Composition
  2. Erythrocytes
  3. Leukocytes
  4. Platelets and Plasma
  5. Presumptive Blood Tests
  6. Kastle-Meyer Color Test
  7. Luminol Test
  8. Fluorescein Test
  9. Confirmatory Blood Tests
  10. ABO Blood Typing
  11. Rh Factor
  12. Agglutination Chemistry
  13. Secretor Status
  14. Semen Detection (PSA Test)
  15. Salivary Amylase Test
  16. Urine Detection

Chapter 7: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA)

  1. Blood Drop Physics
  2. Surface Tension of Blood
  3. Blood Viscosity
  4. Blood Cohesion
  5. Low-Velocity Impact Spatter
  6. Medium-Velocity Impact Spatter
  7. High-Velocity Impact Spatter
  8. Angle of Impact Formula
  9. Area of Convergence
  10. Area of Origin in 3D Space
  11. Stringing Technique
  12. Passive Bloodstains
  13. Transfer Bloodstains
  14. Cast-Off Bloodstains
  15. Arterial Spurting Pattern
  16. Wipe vs Swipe Stains

Chapter 8: Forensic DNA Profiling

  1. DNA Structure Review
  2. Nuclear DNA
  3. Mitochondrial DNA
  4. Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)
  5. CODIS Loci
  6. Polymerase Chain Reaction
  7. PCR Primer Design
  8. DNA Denaturation
  9. DNA Annealing
  10. DNA Extension
  11. Capillary Electrophoresis
  12. Electropherogram Interpretation
  13. DNA Alleles
  14. Homozygous vs Heterozygous
  15. Y-STR Analysis
  16. Random Match Probability
  17. Product Rule in Statistics
  18. DNA Database Searching

Module 4 — Chemical and Biomolecular Analysis

Chapter 9: Forensic Toxicology & Medicine

  1. Pharmacokinetics (ADME)
  2. Drug Absorption
  3. Drug Distribution
  4. Drug Metabolism
  5. Drug Elimination
  6. Controlled Substances Act
  7. Drug Schedule Classifications
  8. Marquis Reagent Test
  9. Scott Reagent Test
  10. Duquenois-Levine Test
  11. Gas Chromatography (GC)
  12. Mass Spectrometry (MS)
  13. GC-MS Analysis
  14. LC-MS/MS Analysis
  15. Blood Alcohol Concentration
  16. BAC Retro-Extrapolation
  17. Cyanide Poisoning
  18. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
  19. Heavy Metal Toxicology

Chapter 10: Arson, Explosives, & Fire Chemistry

  1. Fire Tetrahedron
  2. Combustion Chemistry
  3. Oxidation Reactions
  4. Ignition Temperature
  5. Flash Point
  6. Arson Investigation
  7. Accelerant Pour Patterns
  8. Multiple Points of Origin
  9. V-Pattern Burn Indicators
  10. Spalling in Arson
  11. Headspace Analysis
  12. SPME Technique
  13. Low Explosives
  14. High Explosives
  15. Post-Blast Analysis

Module 5 — Anatomical and Ecological Analysis

Chapter 11: Forensic Anthropology & Skeletal Biology

  1. Human Osteology
  2. Skeletal Anatomy (206 Bones)
  3. Pelvic Morphology Analysis
  4. Subpubic Angle Measurement
  5. Greater Sciatic Notch
  6. Cranial Feature Analysis
  7. Biological Sex Estimation
  8. Epiphyseal Fusion
  9. Cranial Suture Closure
  10. Age-at-Death Estimation
  11. Long Bone Measurements
  12. Stature Regression Equations
  13. Antemortem Trauma
  14. Perimortem Trauma
  15. Postmortem Trauma
  16. Bone Trauma Differentiation

Chapter 12: Forensic Entomology & Taphonomy

  1. Stages of Decomposition
  2. Fresh Stage of Decomposition
  3. Bloat Stage of Decomposition
  4. Active Decay Stage
  5. Advanced Decay Stage
  6. Dry Remains Stage
  7. Blowfly Lifecycle
  8. Calliphoridae Family
  9. Insect Egg Stage
  10. Larval Instar Stages
  11. Blowfly Pupa Stage
  12. Accumulated Degree Hours
  13. Accumulated Degree Days
  14. Minimum Post-Mortem Interval
  15. Insect Succession Ecology
  16. Environmental Variables in PMI
  17. Necrophagous Insects

Module 6 — Materials Science and Digital Evidence

Chapter 13: Firearms, Toolmarks, & Ballistics

  1. Internal Ballistics
  2. Rifling in Firearms
  3. Lands and Grooves
  4. Breech Face Markings
  5. Firing Pin Impressions
  6. Ejector Marks
  7. External Ballistics
  8. Bullet Trajectory Calculation
  9. Terminal Ballistics
  10. Entrance vs Exit Wounds
  11. Wound Morphology
  12. Ricochet Analysis
  13. Gunshot Residue (GSR)
  14. Modified Griess Test
  15. Toolmark Analysis
  16. Compression Marks
  17. Sliding Marks
  18. Serial Number Restoration
  19. Acid Etching Technique
  20. Comparison Microscope

Chapter 14: Document Examination & Forgery

  1. Handwriting Analysis
  2. Handwriting Characteristics
  3. Line Quality in Writing
  4. Slant and Spacing Analysis
  5. Requested Writing Exemplars
  6. Unrequested Writing Exemplars
  7. Blind Forgery
  8. Simulated Forgery
  9. Traced Forgery
  10. Ink Chemistry Analysis
  11. Paper Chromatography
  12. Thin-Layer Chromatography
  13. Counterfeit Detection
  14. Currency Security Features
  15. Watermarks and Threads

Chapter 15: Digital Forensics & Cybercrime

  1. Digital Forensics Overview
  2. Volatile vs Non-Volatile Data
  3. RAM Evidence Collection
  4. Hard Drive Architecture
  5. SSD Forensics
  6. Write-Blocker Hardware
  7. Forensic Imaging Process
  8. Bit-Stream Copy
  9. MD5 Hash Function
  10. SHA-256 Hash Function
  11. Hash Verification
  12. EXIF Metadata Recovery
  13. Digital Timestamp Analysis
  14. Geolocation from Metadata
  15. Network Forensics Basics
  16. IP Address Analysis
  17. Packet Sniffing
  18. Firewall Log Analysis
  19. Encryption in Digital Forensics
  20. Steganography
  21. Dark Web Evidence

Total Concepts: 258

Please review this list carefully before proceeding. Add any missing concepts and remove any that are not appropriate for this course. Pay special attention to concept label length (max 32 characters) and clarity.