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John H. Dillon, Jr., Greg Hill, and Ronald Hill, Ph.D. “Module 14:…
John H. Dillon, Jr., Greg Hill, and Ronald Hill, Ph.D. “Module 14: Communicating Results.” Firearm Examiner Training, National Forensic Science Technology Center, projects.nfstc.org/firearms/module14/fir_m14.htm.
Communication Skills
Communication Synergies: blending verbal and written communication to increase effectiveness
Communication Impact
Communication basics: effective communication is very important but people aren't always taught to speak with respect to their audience
Written Communications
Flow and style: can be difficult to incorporate when writing technical reports
Closing remarks: written communication is under your control but verbal isn't always, especially in the courtroom
Turning thoughts in prose
Continuous improvement: always keep practicing by keeping a communications log
Creating and extended outline: list and organize supporting information to build the thesis
Verbal Communication
Must keep voice and body movements interesting
Use supporting materials
Don't turn your back to the audience
Flow and timing
Presenting technical information
Presenting to audiences: must take size and diversity into account
Relationship building: must separate and categorize relationships in order to treat everyone appropriately
Courtroom Testimony
Giving testimony: direct examination, cross-examination, redirect examination, and recross-examination
Pretrial preparation: must prepare beforehand to effectively communicate results
Opinion Testimony: generally not accepted, except from expert witnesses
Appearance: people wear businesses suits most often
Expert witness qualification: can only give opinion testimony if you are considered an expert in a field
Demeanor: aggressive attorneys might make it difficult at times, but it is important to remain professional and objective
Legal issues: Frye, Daubert, and other standards test evidence admissibility
Presentation skills: must present in a clear way that doesn't get too technical so that the jury can understand
Courtroom personnel: judge, bailiff, court clerk, court reporter, prosecutor, defense counsel, defendant, and jury
Criminal proceedings: examiners are usually only present during trial court
Report Writing
Must include all results, be unbiased, reflect the case file, not use technical terms, be written clearly in English, and adhere to all requirements
Report contents: date, laboratory, case number, laboratory tracking number, title, examinations, evidence items, chain of custody, results, and signature of examiner
Read by investigators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and others