December 2022 – Page 1924 – Homework Handlers

The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing,

December 4, 2022/in Uncategorized /by SK

Dear Esra,

This is a very interesting topic! Please see the rubric and my notes below to understand your grade on the Letter to the Editor Assignment:

Purpose & Focus: 11/15

Organization & Transitions:4 /5

Tone & Editing:4 /5

Overall Grade: 19/25

To understand the numerical scoring of this paper and areas for potential improvement, please consult the areas marked with an X in the following grading chart:

Content & Structure
	This letter does a great job of appealing to your readers, and I have no suggestions for improvement in terms of the basic content.
X	A more effective or developed “hook” could help engage the reader from the beginning of the letter.
	This is an interesting topic, but it’s also rather broad. A more specific local approach would have been helpful.
X	More context, background research, or evidence would have strengthened this letter.
X	The purpose and focus of this letter could be clearer throughout. What publication is this aimed at? How might you appeal to the general readership of this specific newspaper more specifically?
X	The selected publication seems inappropriate for the topic, or this isn’t a real publication.
X	The purpose of this letter could be more specific throughout. What do you want your audience–the general readership of your local newspaper–to actually do? Some first steps (or a more specific action plan for them) would be helpful.
	The purpose and focus of this letter are unclear at times–and even when they are clear, they seem a little strange for this kind of paper, partly because there seem to be places in which you address the editor directly. In terms of both purpose and audience, it’s important to note that a “letter to the editor” generally isn’t about the newspaper itself or aimed at the actual editor. Instead, a letter to the editor is usually focused on some local issue or problem, and the audience is the readership of this specific newspaper (the community at large). How might you appeal to the general readership of this specific newspaper more specifically?
	Your solution would benefit from further development and specificity and/or deeper consideration of opposing arguments or pragmatic challenges.
	This letter is a bit too short and would benefit from further development.
x	Further work on organization and/or transitions would strengthen this essay.
Editing Issues to Watch Out for in the Future
X	Misspelled or misused words and/or names
X	Run-on sentences
	Incomplete sentences
	Shifting verb tense
	Shifting point of view
X	Awkward, unclear, or repetitive phrasing
X	Missing words
	Capitalization errors
x	Missing/misused commas
	Missing/misused apostrophes
	Misused colons or semicolons
	Problems with agreement
	Misplaced punctuation in relation to quotation marks
	Errors in end punctuation
	Spacing errors
	Missing or misused articles
	Misused hyphens

In regards to editing issues, you may want to consult the appropriate sections in the grammar handbook at the back of your textbook about these issues as well. (These are the cream-colored pages in the 8th or 9th edition or the blue pages in the 7th edition.) Once you’ve reviewed these sections as well as your paper, feel free to let me know if you have questions about any of these issues.

Other than that, this is good work!

All best wishes,

Mary

A Defense of Grade Deflation” by Will Harrel and The Civil Rights Era: African American Odyssey.

December 4, 2022/in Uncategorized /by SK

Assignment: DUE ON Thursday January 30TH at 5am CST

1. Read the articles “A Defense of Grade Deflation” by Will Harrel and The Civil Rights Era: African American Odyssey.

2. Then choose one and write a 300-400 word essay in which you explain the rhetorical situation for the essay.

A Defense Of Grade Deflation

By WILL HARREL

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

Published: Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

While Princeton’s diverse student body rarely unifies around a single issue, nearly every student seems to have rallied against grade deflation. This forces advocates of the policy — well, the few that exist — to always be on the defensive, addressing only the apparent negatives of grade deflation without discussing the benefits. I’ll begin this defense of grade deflation by once again discussing the negatives, but I will conclude by finally going on the offensive.

One common complaint is that grade deflation compounds students’ stress. While added pressure about grades does entail added stress, this pressure encourages students to work harder and learn more. Low standards breed low results, and grade deflation is an excellent way to increase standards. If a student knows he has a guaranteed A, he has no incentive to work harder for a better grade. It’s certainly nice to relax or party, but the purpose of a university is to teach, not to entertain, so Princeton’s policies should focus on maximizing academics, not leisure. Rather than studying hard, if we want to breeze through college without much depth, receiving a high GPA and a diploma with honors, we could always go to Harvard. In the long run, however, knowledge and study skills are more useful than a high GPA. After a few years, achievement beyond graduation matters more than anything else.

Another major complaint is that grade deflation hurts our job and graduate-school prospects. While some employers and graduate schools are certainly unfamiliar with Princeton’s grading system, admission rates and job placements have actually risen slightly since grade deflation was instituted, as demonstrated by statistics in the “Grading at Princeton” pamphlet. From 2004 (the last class without grade deflation) to 2009, even accounting for the economic downturn, the percentage of seniors with full-time jobs in hand actually grew slightly, from 29.4 percent to 29.6 percent. Both medical-school and law-school acceptance rates also grew, from 92.0 percent to 93.0 percent, and 25.9 percent to 34.5 percent, respectively. Moreover, Princeton sends out a letter with every transcript explaining the grading system, and employers and graduate schools know that GPAs from different schools have different meanings. For instance, MIT has a GPA scale from 5.0 to 0.0, and nobody would compare that GPA to a 4.0 scale side-by-side. Something like MIT’s scale might actually be a useful next step for Princeton to clearly differentiate its grading scheme and increase awareness about grade deflation beyond Princeton.

On a slightly more trivial note, I’ve heard complaints that grade deflation renders the A-plus obsolete. While no statistics are released, Paolo Esquivel’s 2009 article, “A-pluses in a time of grade deflation,” mentions many examples of people with multiple A-pluses, and I know that at least two of my friends have also received A-pluses in stereotypically difficult courses. While receiving this ultimate mark is certainly difficult, it is definitely attainable.

Now that I have addressed the negatives of grade deflation, I must also discuss the two major benefits. First, it differentiates students more clearly in the top of the class. When everybody receives A’s, employers and graduate schools have difficulty distinguishing between the good and the excellent students. In 2001, 91 percent of Harvard seniors graduated with honors, prompting former dean and acting president of Harvard Henry Rosovksy to say, “Honors at Harvard has just lost all meaning. The bad honors is spoiling the good.” This absurd “honors inflation” was certainly beneficial to the students in the 50th through 91st percentiles range, but those in the top of the class were not rewarded for their hard work. Instead, they were clumped together with mediocre students. The bottom 9 percent of the class were essentially outcasts.

Princeton’s goal should not be handing out diplomas with honors but rather should be educating students and rewarding exceptional students for exceptional work. We have a 4.0 scale, so why would we only use 1 or 2 points of it? Grade inflation is excellent at highlighting the worst students, because so few students get low grades. By providing rigorous grading standards, Princeton highlights the best, not just the worst. For instance, because of the transcript letter, employers know that a Princeton student with a 3.7 GPA is an excellent student, and students are still being hired at similar or better rates. While grade deflation makes a 3.7 difficult, it is certainly achievable, and those who are able to achieve it are rewarded.

The other major benefit of grade deflation is its consistency across classes and departments. There are still certainly many kinks to be fixed in the soft quota system, but it is an excellent step in the right direction. The beauty of the system is that departments can assign a higher proportion of A grades to more competitive courses in order to maintain consistent standards across classes and departments. This allows me to place very little weight on the difficulty of grading when choosing my courses, because I know that our grades will be based on our abilities, not the professor’s arbitrary grading standards. Grade deflation discourages people from gaming the system and taking “easy” courses in which everybody gets an A. Coupled with the new pass/D/fail policy changes, these effects now encourage students to take courses that excite them, not just ones that promise A’s. While the current system is not completely flawless, the harms are negligible, and the benefits are great.

“A Defense of Grade Deflation” by Will Harrel

· Definition: “grade deflation”: an academic practice where high grades are made much harder to obtain. Thus, students who typically make A’s receive B’s and so on. This practice (adapted by Princeton in the essay) makes A’s an extremely valuable commodity.

· “What is the value of grades? Why do we attach so much worth to them? What do grades mean outside of making a good mark on our transcripts? What’s so rewarding about getting a good grade?”

· Another good question: “How has your perspective on grades and grading changed since beginning college?”

· Would a university/college-wide grade deflation help or hurt grads? Why? Why not?

The Civil Rights Era

African American Odyssey- http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9.html

The post-war era marked a period of unprecedented energy against the second class citizenship accorded to African Americans in many parts of the nation. Resistance to racial segregation and discrimination with strategies such as civil disobedience, nonviolent resistance, marches, protests, boycotts, “freedom rides,” and rallies received national attention as newspaper, radio, and television reporters and cameramen documented the struggle to end racial inequality. There were also continuing efforts to legally challenge segregation through the courts.

Success crowned these efforts: the Brown decision in 1954, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 helped bring about the demise of the entangling web of legislation that bound blacks to second class citizenship. One hundred years after the Civil War, blacks and their white allies still pursued the battle for equal rights in every area of American life. While there is more to achieve in ending discrimination, major milestones in civil rights laws are on the books for the purpose of regulating equal access to public accommodations, equal justice before the law, and equal employment, education, and housing opportunities. African Americans have had unprecedented openings in many fields of learning and in the arts. The black struggle for civil rights also inspired other liberation and rights movements, including those of Native Americans, Latinos, and women, and African Americans have lent their support to liberation struggles in Africa.

Few other institutions can present the African American mosaic of life and culture as completely as the Library of Congress. The Library’s photographs, film footage, newspapers, magazines, manuscripts, and music holdings chronicle this period better than any other collection in existence. In addition to the NAACP and NUL papers, the Library also holds papers of civil rights activists such as Thurgood Marshall, Roy Wilkins, Patricia Roberts Harris, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Mary Church Terrell, Robert Terrell, Nannie Helen Burroughs, and others. Although the quest may not be fully realized, the Library’s collections document the relentless and significant process of pursuing full equality.

Assignment:

3. Read the articles “A Defense of Grade Deflation” by Will Harrel and The Civil Rights Era: African American Odyssey.

4. Then choose one and write a 300-400 word essay in which you explain the rhetorical situation for the essay.

Example #1

Marlboro Cigarette Advertisement

Almost everyone remembers the cigarette ads of the nineties, in which, most often a lanky, virile cowboy was shown smoking a cigarette. These infamous Marlboro cigarette ads depicted smoking as something attractive and almost glorious. The ads would feature an attractive cowboy in a western setting, often performing tasks of a masculine nature. The ads depict smoking as a desirable attribute. This particular ad illustrates three men, cowboys, walking in a setting similar to that of a ranch. All three cowboys are wearing cowboy hats and appear to be doing manual labor outdoors. Because of the well rounded appeal of the ad, adults, male and female, and even the younger generation are attracted by the presentation of the advertisement. This particular ad presents three handsome cowboys, walking side by side, giving the impression that they are at work. The three men capture the audience on a basic, intrinsic level, appealing to men, women, and children. Science has proven that beauty appeals to human nature, and we as humans are drawn to the men in the advertisement. The creators immediately master one of the most important aspects of advertising in this ad by catching the audience’s interest upon impact. Most men want to look desirable, and the ad implicates that smoking a cigarette makes a man look pleasing and masculine, kind of aloof yet vibrant at the same time. There are three men in the ad, and when viewing the ad, the audience gets a sense of camaraderie from the picture. The man in the center is smiling while his head is turned to one of the other men, as if they are laughing at a joke or recalling an anecdote. The fact that the men are smiling gives the impression that smoking cigarettes brings happiness to the smoker. This picture aims to convince the audience, especially the male portion, that smoking Marlboro cigarettes makes a man attractive. The ad attempts to convince the audience, partly male, that smoking this particular brand of cigarettes will help the smoker make friends and help him or her make friends. A vital aspect of cigarette ads is the warning issued from the surgeon general on the package and featured in the commercials. The surgeon general’s warning was not always required, but soon laws were created, requiring cigarette advertisements to warn consumers of the dangers of smoking. In this particular picture, the warning is in a small white box on the bottom left hand side of the ad, in black lettering. Although it is common knowledge that cigarettes cause immense damage to the human body, the ad does not demonstrate the ill effects of smoking. The ad fails to show how unhealthy cigarettes can be to the human body, because showing the harm in using cigarettes would in effect negate the purpose of the advertisement. It’s difficult to blame the large advertisement firms that create ads similar to this one because their main mission is to attract customers and convince them to buy the product they are selling, not to repel customers. There are some constraints to the advertisement, such as people who are non-smokers, or people who are for making smoking illegal. People who have had a family member die due to the side effects of smoking are also more likely not to purchase cigarettes for themselves. Established, however, is a middle ground, such as with people who know that smoking is bad for one’s health but believe that smoking is a conscious choice made by smokers. The advertisement establishes a connection with smokers as well. The common ground is obvious in which smokers smoke, just like the cowboys in the picture. Some smokers may smoke as a stress reliever. Smoking may also be a way for smokers to relax. The ad is a prime example of advertising at its finest. In this advertisement, Marlboro has made something that has the potential to cause death, look appealing. As far as identification goes, I stand on middle ground concerning this advertisement. I am not a smoker, so I don’t identify with the smoking part of this advertisement. I believe that smoking can be hazardous for one’s health, so the ad does not entice me into smoking. On the other hand, I can identify with the advertisement’s audience. As mentioned earlier, I am attracted to the ad on impact because the cowboys in the ad are definitely attractive, so if I were flipping through a magazine, and I happened to see this ad, I would give it a second glance. The knowledge I have of the ill effects of smoking is what would prevent the ad of convincing me to buy Marlboro cigarettes. There is also an incredible amount of exigence concerning this advertisement. The exigence and juxtaposition combine to contradict this advertisement. Just as we’ve seen the cigarette ads, we have also seen the anti-smoking commercials on television, such as “The Truth,” that criticize the executives of cigarette companies. There are many medical professionals who choose not to smoke because they personally know the damage cigarettes can do to the human body, but there is also a wide range of medical professionals that do smoke despite their knowledge of smoking and its ill effects. Many athletes choose not to smoke because their body has to be in peak condition in order to perform at its finest, and smoking can hinder the condition of their health. People familiar with the mechanical larynx, when a person loses their voice due to excessive smoking and has to speak with the aid of a digital device, are probably deterred from smoking. The experiences and opinions people have may convince them to smoke or not smoke, and many of these opinions are formed with the aid of the media. The Marlboro cigarette advertisement, no longer in print, was widely infamous for featuring dreamy cowboys in Stetsons in the country, smoking a cigarette. While the advertisement appeals to many people, some who choose to smoke, not everyone will choose to smoke due to the ad, and some people who will not smoke due to personal beliefs. However, the message implied by the Marlboro advertisement can be effective to viewers.

Example #2

“I Have a Dream” Speech

The text in question is a seventeen minute speech written and delivered by Dr. King. The basic medium of the text was an oral speech that was broadcast by both loudspeakers at the event and over radio and television. Dr. King drew on years of training as a minister and public speaker to deliver the speech. He also drew on his extensive education and the tumultuous history of racial prejudices and civil rights in the US. Audiences at the time either heard his speech in person or over radio or television broadcasts. Part of the speech near the end was improvised around the repeated phrase “I have a dream.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the most iconic leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. He was an African-American Baptist minister and prominent civil rights activist who campaigned to end segregation and racial discrimination. He gained inspiration from Howard Thurman and Mahatma Gandhi, and he drew extensively from a deep, rich cultural tradition of African-American Christian spiritualism.

The audiences for “I Have a Dream” are extraordinarily varied. In one sense, the audience consisted of the 200,000 or so people who listened to Dr. King in person. But Dr. King also overtly appealed to lawmakers and citizens everywhere in America at the time of his speech. There were also millions of people who heard his speech over radio and television at the time. And many more millions people since 1963 have heard recordings of the speech in video, audio, or digital form.

Dr. King’s immediate purposes appear to have been to convince Americans across the country to embrace racial equality and to further strengthen the resolve of those already involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Audiences’ purposes are not as easily summarized. Some at the time may have sought to be inspired by Dr. King. Opponents to racial equality who heard his speech may have listened for the purpose of seeking to find ways to further argue against racial equality. Audiences since then may have used the speech to educate or to advocate for other social justice issues.

The initial setting for the speech was on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on August 28, 1963. The immediate community and conversation for the speech was the ongoing Civil Rights Movement that had gained particular momentum with the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, which Dr. King helped direct. But the enduring nature of Dr. King’s speech has broadened the setting to include many countries and many people who have since read or listened to his speech. Certainly, people listening to his speech for the first time today in America are experiencing a different mix of cultural attitudes toward race than as present in America in 1963.

Dr. King’s speech is an example of a rhetorical situation that is much bigger than its initial text and audience. Not many rhetorical situations are as far reaching in scope as Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The following example of a research paper may be more identifiable to students reading this resource.

Anthropology Culture and Medicine: Healers and Healing

December 4, 2022/in Uncategorized /by SK

Illness Narrative Assignment guidelines Due Sunday April 12, 2015

11:59pm Background: Illness Narrative Arthur Kleinman is a doctor and anthropologist who has created a set of questions to help guide patient interviews as a way to “understand beliefs the patient holds about his illness, the personal and social meaning he attaches to his disorder, his expectations about what will happen to him and what the doctor will do, and his own therapeutic goals.” Conducting this type of interview aims to help guide the doctor in working with the patient to ensure that the care is beneficial and effective. Below this assignment I have attached a summary PDF article about Kleinman’s explanatory model. Here are the 8 questions suggested by Kleinman, use them to frame your interview with someone with a chronic condition. 1. What do you think caused your problem? (For all questions substitute “problem”

and “it” and “sickness” with “diabetes” or “cancer” etc. ) 2. Why do you think it started when it did? 3. What do you think your sickness does to you? 4. How severe is your sickness? Do you think it will last a long time,

or will it be better soon in your opinion? 5. What are the chief problems your sickness has caused for you? 6. What do you fear most about your sickness? 7. What kind of treatment do you think you should receive? 8. What are the most important results you hope to get from

treatment? A final question I encourage you ask is how this “illness” has impacted their families and friends—especially if they didn’t bring this up during their narrative.

I have included an article briefly describing Kleinman’s model under our “readings section” please read it as an important background piece to this assignment. Please review these website for examples of how providers and other health professionals use illness narratives to understand how people understand and explain their illness. 1. Diabetes Spectrum http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/17/4/219.full Check out how they modified Kleiman’s questions to focus on diabetes. 2. Check the Kandula article on Canvas below this assignment.

Your assignment For this assignment you will need to identify someone you know with a chronic illness to conduct a brief interview with and write up a summary and analysis of the interview. I encourage you to identify someone very soon as you will need time to prepare your interview questions and schedule the interview. Talking to someone with a chronic health condition will you understand how someone with a chronic illness is impacted over the course of his or her life. An illness narrative can help you understand the larger issues outside of the medical setting that impact the experience a person has with a chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, or HIV. You should use and modify Kleinman’s 8 questions to help guide your interview. Feel free to add questions, but don’t get too specific, remember these questions are meant to very open ended to allow the respondent to share their story. Feel free to build off your respondent’s answers to ask follow up questions. For example, if your respondent states that their fibromyalgia began after the moved to a new city, you could ask some follow up questions on why that move may have impacted the condition, how did it impact their mental health, exercise, etc. If they think their disease was caused by their genetic makeup ask them why they think that. DO NOT judge, CORRECT or EDUCATE at any point, as it may come off as OFFENSIVE or JUDGEMENTAL. Try not to help diagnose, provide recommendations, or guide what you think they should do. I know that you are nurses, and you want to help, but the purpose of the activity is to learn and get their perspective. You are there to listen, to get their STORY. Also, the purpose of the interview is not to ask about a particular therapy or treatment and how it’s used, AGAIN it is to let them tell their story. Let their story guide your interview. Use Kleinman’s questions to let them do so. I encourage you to audio record the interview and take detailed notes to help you remember their responses. An interview should last about an hour and should take place in a private and comfortable location for the respondent. After the interview you should take time to reflect on the experience and summarize your experience in your paper. Feel free to get creative, for example you can present the paper as a “letter” to this person’s doctor about how they view their illness, its course and what kind of treatment they would like to get. Assignment Guidelines 3-‐4 pages, 1” margins, 12point font. Double spaced. Here is an outline of how to write your paper:

Introduction—Who did you interview and why? Include a thesis statement* and make some conclusive observations about the main theme(s) of the interview. Please use a pseudonym (fake name) when writing this section. You should let the person you interview know that the interview is anonymous; that you will not be using their real name or providing any other details that could compromise their identity (address, phone number etc.)

Narrative—Describe their “narrative” or story related to this illness. Review all the questions you asked and summarize their responses. You should NOT write a transcript of your interview, instead you should summarize the story here and analyze their responses. You MAY use direct quotes in this section, but the majority of the content should be in your own words. Did they focus only on the physical issues or did they emphasize how it has impacted their social, family or economic life? Etc. Use examples from the interview. Reflection—How did the 8 questions help you gain a perspective on how this individual? What benefit did they/you gain in sharing/writing this story? Conclusion—Summarize your paper. What role should narratives play in our study of health/illness?

* Important: Please research what a THESIS STATEMENT is and what it should do for your paper, failure to have a thesis statement will result in an automatic 5 point deduction. READ THE ATTACHED PDF describing the Explanatory Model further.

P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK

BLBK128-Hark December 17, 2008 14:56

APPENDIX 2

Kleinman’s Explanatory Model of Illness

Kleinman and associates (1978) in their seminal paper further dis- cuss the importance of the explanatory model: “Eliciting the patient’s (explanatory) model gives the physician knowledge of the beliefs the patient holds about his illness, the personal and social meaning he attaches to his disorder, his expectations about what will happen to him and what the doctor will do, and his own therapeutic goals. Comparison of patient model with the doctor’s model enables the clinician to identify major discrepancies that may cause problems for clinical management. Such comparisons also help the clinician know which aspects of his explanatory model need clearer exposition to patients (and families), and what sort of patient education is most appropriate. And they clarify conflicts not related to different levels of knowledge but different values and interests. Part of the clinical process involves negotiations between these explanatory models, once they have been made explicit.”

Eliciting the Patient’s Explanatory Model of illness through a set of targeted questions shown below is an important tool for facilitat- ing cross-cultural communication, ensuring patient understanding, and identifying areas of conflict that will need to be negotiated. The wording and number of questions used will vary depending on the characteristics of the patient, the problem, and the setting.! What do you think has caused your problem?! Why do you think it started when it did?! What do you think your sickness does to you? How does it work?! How severe is your sickness? Will it have a short or long course?! What kind of treatment do you think you should receive?

217

Achieving Cultural Competency: A Case-Based Approach to Training Health Professionals

P1: SFK/UKS P2: SFK

BLBK128-Hark December 17, 2008 14:56

218 Appendix 2

! What are the most important results you hope to receive from this treatment?! What are the chief problems your sickness has caused for you?! What do you fear most about your sickness?

Adapted from, Kleinman A., Eisenberg L., Good B. Culture, illness, and care: clinical lessons from anthropological and cross-cultural research. Ann Intern Med 1978;88:251–88.

Illness Narrative Assignment guidelines
Kleinman¹s Explanatory Model of Illness

Criminal Justice Discussion

December 4, 2022/in Uncategorized /by SK

Read the attached “Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: An On-the-Scene Reference for First Responders”

“The Investigation of Computer-Related Crime” Please respond to the following:

From the e-Activity, there are general principles that investigators must follow when they respond to any crime scene in which computers and electronic technology may be involved. Suggest at least two (2) general principles for proper evidence preservation for stand-alone personal computers, networked home personal computers, and network server business networks. Provide a rationale for your response.
Discuss the major procedures that investigators must use in order to collect network trace evidence of computer-related crimes. Next, speculate on the primary concern of investigators as they execute the evidence-collection procedures in question, and explain the main reasons why you believe such a concern is valid. Justify your response.

Write a response to this students:

“Good evening,

Two general principles for proper evidence preservation are:

Photograph and diagram the way that the cords were connected to the computer. This needs to be done so that you can reconnect the cords in the correct way once you get the evidence back for examination.
You have to assess the computer’s power state. This will be important because if you remove power without making sure that the evidence is secure you risk losing that evidence because you improperly secured the scene.

The major procedures that investigators must use in order to collect network trace evidence of computer-related crimes are:

On the spot imaging
Using a backup source

The major concern of investigators is that they want to cause as little disruption to the company as possible. This will help the company to be more cooperative in working with the police. The goal is also to help the company to lose as little money as possible by having to shut down to accommodate the ongoing investigation.”

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice

Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: An On-the-Scene Reference for First Responders

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij

nov. 09

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street N.W.

Washington, DC 20531

Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General

Laurie O. Robinson Acting Assistant Attorney General

Kristina Rose Acting Director, National Institute of Justice

This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found at:

National Institute of Justice www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij

Office of Justice Programs Innovation • Partnerships Safer Neighborhoods www.ojp.usdoj.gov

NCJ 227050

Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: An On-the-Scene Reference for First Responders

nov. 09

This flipbook is a companion piece to Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders, Second Edition. Use the flipbook only after you have reviewed the contents of the Guide at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/ pubs-sum/219941.htm.

Kristina Rose Acting Director National Institute of Justice

iii

The flipbook was updated by the Electronic Crime Partnership Initiative (ECPI), a program established by the National Institute of Justice to build the capacity of state and local law enforcement to prevent, investigate and prosecute electronic crime and identify, collect, preserve and examine digital evidence.

This publication does not create, is not intended to create, and may not be relied upon to create any rights, substantive or procedural, enforceable as law by any party in any matter civil or criminal. Opinions or points of view expressed in this document represent a consensus of ECPI members and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the Community Capacity Development Office; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART).

Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Electronic Devices: Types, Description and Potential Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Computer Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Storage Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Handheld Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Peripheral Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Computer Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Sources of Potential Digital Evidence in Electronic Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Securing and Evaluating the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Preliminary Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Documenting the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Evidence Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Assess the Situation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Packaging and Transporting Digital Evidence . . 21

Packaging Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Transportation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Electronic Crime and Digital Evidence Considerations by Crime Category . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Child Abuse and/or Exploitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Computer Intrusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Counterfeiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Death Investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Domestic Violence, Threats and Extortion . . . . . . 27

E-mail Threats, Harassment and/or Stalking . . . . . 28

Gambling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Identity Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Narcotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Online Fraud and/or Economic Fraud . . . . . . . . . . 32

Prostitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Software Piracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Telecommunication Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Terrorism (Homeland Security) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Other Potential Sources of Evidence . . . . . . . . . . 37

Information to Document to Assist the Forensic Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Introduction

This flipbook is intended as a quick reference for first responders who may be responsible for ident- ifying, preserving, collecting and securing evidence at an electronic crime scene. It is a companion piece to Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders, Second Edition, from which it is excerpted.

Use this flipbook only after you have reviewed and familiarized yourself with the contents of Electronic Crime Scene Investigation, which is available for free download at http://www.ojp. usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/219941.htm.

Consider agency protocols; federal, state and local laws; and prevailing technology when applying the information in this flipbook.

Electronic Devices: Types, Description and Potential Evidence Computer Systems • Laptops

• Desktop systems

• Tower computers

• Rack-mounted systems

• Minicomputers

• Mainframe systems

A computer system’s hardware is likely to include:

• A case containing circuit boards, microprocessors, hard drive, memory and interface connections.

• A monitor or video display device.

• A keyboard and mouse.

• Peripheral devices such as external hard drives, modems, printers, scanners, routers and docking stations.

Storage Devices

• Hard drives (whether loose or connected to the system).

• External hard drives (generally require a power supply and a connection to the computer system).

• Removable media, e.g., cartridges or disk-based data storage devices.

• Thumb or flash drives: Small, lightweight, remov- able data storage devices with USB connections. Can be found as part of, or disguised as, any number of common or unique devices, e.g., wrist- watch or Swiss Army Knife.

• Memory cards: Small data storage devices com- monly used with digital cameras, computers, mobile phones, digital music players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and video game consoles.

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Handheld Devices

• PDAs

• Digital multimedia devices

• Pagers

• Digital cameras

• Global positioning satellite (GPS) receivers

• Mobile and smart phones

Peripheral Devices

Equipment that can be attached or connected to a computer.

• Modems

• Routers

• Printers

• Scanners

• Docking stations

Computer Networks

• Two or more computer systems linked by data cables or by wireless connections to enable them to share resources and data.

• Often include printers and data-routing devices such as hubs, switches and routers.

Sources of Potential Digital Evidence in Electronic Devices

• The device and its components.

• The function(s) it performs or facilitates.

• Software, documents, photos, image files, e-mail and attachments, databases, financial information, Internet browsing history, chat logs, buddy lists and event logs.

• Information stored on the device regarding its use, e.g., incoming and outgoing phone and fax numbers and recently scanned, faxed or printed documents.

• Identifying information associated with the computer system, e.g., Internet protocol (IP) and local area network (LAN) addresses, broad- cast settings, and media access card (MAC) or network interface card (NIC) addresses.

Electronic devices also may hold latent evidence such as fingerprints, DNA or other physical evidence that should be preserved.

See page 37 for other potential sources of evidence.

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Securing and Evaluating the Scene Document, photograph, and secure digital evidence at the scene as soon as possible.

When securing and evaluating the scene:

• Do not alter the state of an electronic device. If a computer or an electronic device is off, leave it off.

• Remove all unauthorized persons from the area where evidence is to be collected.

• Identify, seize and secure all electronic devices, including personal or portable devices.

• Recognize potential digital evidence in telephones, digital video recorders, other household appliances and motor vehicles.

If the computer is on or the power state cannot be determined:

• Look and listen for indications that the computer is on — e.g., fans running, drives spinning and lit light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

• If you cannot determine the power state of the computer, observe the monitor to determine if it is on, off or in sleep mode.

• Check display screen for signs of data destruction. Look out for words such as “delete,” “format,” “remove,” “copy,” “move,” “cut” or “wipe.”

• Look for indications that the computer is being accessed remotely and/or signs of ongoing com- munications with other computers or users — e.g., Instant Messaging (IM) windows or chat rooms.

• Take note of all cameras and determine whether they are active.

Proceed to page 12.

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Preliminary Interviews

Separate and identify all adults of interest and record the location they occupied when you entered the scene. Obtain the following information from interviewee(s):

• Purpose of computers and devices.

• All users of the computers and devices.

• Type of Internet access and Internet service provider.

• Computer and Internet user information — e.g., login names, user account names and passwords, and Instant Message screen names.

• E-mail and Web mail (Web-based e-mail) accounts and personal Web pages.

• Account information for online social networking Web sites — e.g., MySpace, Facebook.

• All security provisions, data access restrictions, destructive devices or software in use.

• Any automated applications in use.

• Any other relevant information.

Documenting the Scene Your documentation should include:

• The type, location, position, condition and power status of the device.

• A record of all activity and processes visible on the display screen(s).

• A record of all physical connections to and from the computers and other devices.

• A record of any network and wireless components capable of linking devices to each other and the Internet.

• The type, condition and power status of the device’s Internet and network access.

• Video, photos, notes and sketches to assist in recreating/conveying the details of the scene.

Some computer systems and electronic devices — and the information they contain — may be protected under applicable laws, agency policies or other

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factors, that may prohibit collection of these devices or components. However, do include the location, condition and power state of these devices in your documentation.

Movement of a running computer or electronic device may cause changes or damage to the com- puter or device or the digital evidence it contains. Computers and electronic devices should not be moved until it is determined that they are powered off.

Evidence Collection Handling digital evidence correctly is essential to preserving the integrity of the physical device as well as the information or data it contains. Turning off the power to a computer or other electronic device may cause the information or data stored on it to be damaged or lost.

If you are not trained in handling digital evidence —

• Do not attempt to explore the contents of a computer or other electronic device or to recover information from it.

• Do not alter the state of a computer or other electronic device.

• Do not press any keys or click the mouse.

• If the computer or device is off, leave it off.

• Do not move a computer or other electronic device that is powered on.

• Do not accept offers of help or technical assis- tance from unauthorized persons.

• DO request technical assistance from personnel with advanced equipment and training in digital evidence collection. See http://www.ecpi-us. org/Technicalresources.html for a list of available resources.

Assess the Situation

Before seizing digital evidence, make sure you have the legal authority to do so. Improper access to information or data stored on electronic devices may violate provisions of federal laws.

After securing the scene and identifying the comput- er’s power status (p. 6), follow the steps listed below for the situation most like your own.

Situation 1: Monitor is on. Program, application, work product, picture, e-mail or Internet site is displayed.

1. Photograph screen and record information displayed.

2. Proceed to “If the Computer Is ON” (p. 19).

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Situation 2: Monitor is on. Screen saver or picture is visible.

1. Move mouse slightly without depressing buttons or rotating wheel if present.

2. Note any onscreen activity that causes a change in the display.

3. Photograph screen and record information displayed.

4. Proceed to “If the Computer Is ON” (p. 19).

Situation 3: Monitor is on. Display is blank.

1. Move mouse slightly without depressing buttons or rotating wheel if present.

2. Display changes to login screen, work product, or other visible display.

3. Note change in display.

4. Photograph screen and record information displayed.

5. Proceed to “If the Computer Is ON” (p. 19).

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Situation 4a: Monitor is off. Display is blank.

1. If monitor’s power switch is in off position, turn monitor on.

2. Display changes to a login screen, work product or other visible display.

3. Note change in the display.

4. Photograph screen and record information displayed.

5. Proceed to “If the Computer Is ON” (p. 19).

Situation 4b: Monitor is off. Display is blank.

1. If monitor’s power switch is in off position, turn monitor on.

2. Display does not change. Screen remains blank.

3. Note that the display does not change.

4. Photograph blank screen.

5. Proceed to “If the Computer Is OFF” (p. 16).

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Situation 5: Monitor is on. Display is blank.

1. Move mouse slightly without depressing any buttons or rotating the wheel if present.

2. If display does not change, confirm that power is supplied to the monitor.

3. If display remains blank, check computer case for active lights and listen for fans spinning or other indications computer is on.

4. If computer case gives no indication that it is powered on, proceed to “If the Computer Is OFF” (p. 16).

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If the Computer Is OFF

For desktop, tower and minicomputers follow these steps:

1. Document, photograph, and sketch all wires, cables, and devices connected to the computer.

2. Uniquely label and photograph the power supply cord and all cables, wires or USB drives attached to the computer and the connection each of these occupies on the computer.

3. Remove and secure the power supply cord from the back of the computer and from the wall outlet, power strip or battery backup device.

4. Disconnect and secure all cables, wires and USB drives from the computer and document the device or equipment connected at the opposite end.

5. Place tape over the floppy disk slot if present. En- sure that the CD or DVD drive trays are retracted into place and tape across the drive tray to prevent it from opening.

6. Place tape over the power switch.

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If the Computer Is OFF (continued)

7. Record the make, model, serial numbers and any user-applied markings or identifiers.

8. Record or log computer and all cords, cables, wires, devices and components according to agency procedures.

9. Carefully package all evidence collected to prevent damage or alteration during transportation and storage.

For laptop computers follow these steps:

1. Document, photograph and sketch all wires, cables and devices connected to the laptop.

2. Uniquely label and photograph all wires, cables and devices connected to the laptop and the connec- tion each occupies.

3. Remove and secure the power supply and all bat- teries from the laptop computer.

4. Disconnect and secure all cables, wires, and USB drives from the laptop and document the equip- ment or device connected at the opposite end.

5. Place tape over the floppy disk slot if present. Ensure that the CD or DVD drive trays are retracted into place and tape across the drive tray to prevent it from opening.

6. Place tape over the power switch.

7. Record the make, model, serial numbers and any user-applied markings or identifiers.

8. Record or log the laptop computer and all cords, cables, wires, devices and components according to agency procedures.

9. Carefully package all evidence collected to prevent damage or alteration during transportation and storage.

If the Computer Is ON

Removing the power supply is generally the safest option. If evidence of a crime is visible on the com- puter display, however, request assistance from personnel with experience in volatile data capture and preservation (see http://www.ecpi-us.org/ Technicalresources.html).

Immediate disconnection of power is recommended when —

• Information or activity on screen indicates that information or data is being deleted or overwritten.

• A destructive process appears to be in progress on the computer’s data storage device(s).

• The system is powered on in a typical Microsoft Windows® environment. Pulling the power supply cord from the back of the computer will preserve information about the last user account logged in, login time, most recently used documents, most recently used commands, and other valuable information.

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Immediate disconnection of power is NOT recommended when —

• Information or data of apparent evidentiary value is in plain view onscreen. Seek assistance from per- sonnel with advanced training in digital evidence collection.

• Indications exist that any of the following are active or in use: Chat room(s), text documents, remote data storage, Instant Messaging (IM), child pornography, contraband, financial documents, data encryption and obvious illegal activities.

• The device is a mobile or smart phone. Leave mobile and smart phones in the power state in which they were found.

Improper shutdown of mainframe computers, servers or a group of networked computers may result in the loss of data, loss of evidence and potential civil liability. Secure the scene and request assistance from person- nel with advanced training in digital evidence collection of large or complex computer systems (see http:// www.ecpi-us.org/Technicalresources.html).

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Packaging and Transporting Digital Evidence Packaging Procedures

• Ensure that all digital evidence collected is prop- erly documented, labeled, marked, photographed, video recorded or sketched and inventoried. Properly label connections and connected devices to facilitate reassembly of the system later.

• Protect any latent, trace or biological evidence con- tained on the digital evidence. Photograph digital evidence before conducting latent, trace or biological evidence processes on the evidence.

• Pack all digital evidence in antistatic packaging. Plastic bags and containers can produce static electricity and allow the development of humidity and condensation that can damage or destroy digital evidence.

• Package digital evidence in a manner that will prevent it from being bent, scratched or otherwise deformed. Label all containers properly.

• Leave phones in the power state in which they were found. Package phones in radio frequency- shielding material to prevent them from accessing communication signals.

• Collect all power supplies and adapters for all electronic devices seized.

Transportation Procedures

• Keep digital evidence away from magnetic fields, e.g., those produced by radio transmitters, car stereo speaker magnets and magnetic mount emergency lights. Other transportation hazards include heated seats and any device or material that can produce static electricity, such as carpet.

• Do not keep digital evidence in a vehicle for extended periods. Heat, cold and humidity can damage or destroy digital evidence.

• Ensure that computers and electronic devices are packaged and secured during transportation to prevent damage from shock and vibration.

• Document the transportation of the digital evidence and maintain the chain of custody.

Electronic Crime and Digital Evidence Considerations by Crime Category Below are potential sources of digital evidence for different crimes. These lists are not exhaustive.

Child Abuse and/or Exploitation

• Calendars and journals

• Computer games

• Digital photo software

• Printed photographs

• Printers and copiers

• Scanners

• Still cameras and media

• Video cameras and tapes

• Video games and consoles

• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones

Computer Intrusion

• Antennas

• Books and references on hacking

• List of computers accessed

• List of IP addresses

• Network devices and components

• Printed computer code

• Wireless network equipment

Counterfeiting

• Checks and money orders

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Financial records

• High-quality printers

• Magnetic strip readers

• Online banking software

• Printed computer code

• Reproductions of signatures

• Scanners, copiers, laminators

Death Investigations

• Credit card information

• Financial records

• Medical records

• Online banking software

• Personal writings and/or diaries

• Recently printed material

• Reproductions of signatures

• Telephone records and/or telephone bills

• Will-making software

Domestic Violence, Threats and Extortion • Caller ID records

• Financial records

• Legal documents

• Personal writings and/or diaries

• Protection orders

• Telephone records/telephone bills

E-mail Threats, Harassment and/or Stalking

• Caller ID records

• Financial records

• Legal documents

• Maps, directions, GPS equipment

• Personal Web sites

• Personal writings and/or diaries

• Telephone records

Gambling • Accounting software

• Cash

• Client lists

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• Lists of online gambling sites

• References to odds and/or lines

• Sports betting statistics

Identity Theft • Accounting software

• Cash

• Checks and money orders

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• High-quality printers

• Mail in victim’s name

• Online banking software

• Reproductions of signatures

• Scanners, copiers, laminators

• Web site transaction records

Narcotics

• Cash

• Countersurveillance equipment

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Fictitious identification

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• GPS devices and maps

• Online banking software

• Photographs of drugs and accomplices

• Police scanners

• Unfilled prescriptions

Online Fraud and/or Economic Fraud

• Accounting software

• Cash

• Checks and money orders

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• Online banking software

• Reproductions of signatures

Prostitution

• Appointment logs

• Calendars and/or journals

• Cash

• Client lists

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• Lists of online escort sites

• Medical records

• Online banking software

• Printed photos

Software Piracy

• Cash

• CD and DVD burners and labelers

• Credit card information

• Electronic money transfers

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• Software activation codes

• Software duplication equipment

Telecommunication Fraud

• Boot loader devices

• Cash

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• EPROM burner

• Financial records

• Forged documents

• Online banking software

• Phone cables

• SIM card reader

• Stolen phones

Terrorism (Homeland Security)

• Cash

• Credit card information

• Database printouts

• Electronic money transfers

• Fictitious identification

• Financial records

• GPS equipment and/or maps

• Phone cables

• Stolen phones

• VoIP phones

Other Potential Sources of Evidence

• Answering machines

• Audio recorders

• Blank pads of paper with impressions from prior writings

• Calendars

• CDs and CD burners

• Cell phones/smart phones

• Computer processors (chips)

• Computer-printed material

• Contact lists

• Copy machines

• Cordless landline telephones

• Digital cameras

• DVDs and DVD burners

• DVD/CD players

• External data-storage devices

Other Potential Sources of Evidence (continued)

• Fax machines

• GPS equipment and accessories

• Handwritten notes

• Hard drive duplicators

• Hardware and software manuals

• Information on steganography

• Internet activity records

• Laptop power supplies and accessories

• Microphones

• MP-3 players, e.g., iPods

• Multifunction machines (e.g., printer, scanner, copier, fax combos)

• Pagers

• Pieces of paper with possible passwords

• Printed e-mails and notes

• Printers

Other Potential Sources of Evidence (continued)

• Records of chat sessions

• Removable media

• Scanners

• Screen names and buddy lists

• Smart cards

• Software duplication equipment

• Telephone caller ID units

• User names and passwords

• Video cassette recorders (VCRs) and VCR tapes

• Web cameras

• Wireless access points

Information to Document to Assist the Forensic Examination • Authorization to examine evidence

• Case summary

• Investigation point of contact

• Keyword lists

• Passwords

• Preliminary reports and documents

• Suspect information and nicknames

• Suspected criminal activity

The National Institute of Justice is the research,

development, and evaluation agency of the

U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ’s mission is to

advance scientific research, development, and

evaluation to enhance the administration

of justice and public safety.

The National Institute of Justice is a component

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includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the

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Capacity Development Office; the Office for

Victims of Crime; the Office of Juvenile Justice

and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office of

Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Appre-

hending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART).

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