Notes to the teacher
A crime has been committed and you are part of the forensics team that is called in to aid in its investigation. You and your team must determine what you can about a substance that has been collected from the crime scene so that you can report back to your superiors with your findings. Be thorough and above all open-minded. There's no telling what you may find with the simplest of tests.

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion
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Your team will prepare a Powerpoint presentation, a written and oral report concerning the types of tests you need to perform to identify the substance you are assigned. The tests that you should consider for your presentation include the atomic emission spectroscopy, or mass spectometry, gas chromatography, polymerase chain reaction, DNA electrophoresis, electrochemistry and others. The specific information you are to convey through these components includes:

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion
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Each lab group will be assigned a different piece of evidence. These substances may be residues of unknown origin, and may include narcotics, body fluids, inorganic materials, accelerants, household materials, etc. It would be a good idea to divide the work among your group's members so no one person does more work than another. To divide the work among the members of your group, my suggestion would be to:

Perform background research concerning each of the tests in the list given above. You may find during your research that additional tests may be suggested to aid in your work. These should not be ignored. Each team member should then report back to the group his or her findings so that it can be decided which tests should be considered. Since you will receive only a specific amount of your substance, be sure to consider the minimum amount of your sample that would be necessary to perform the test. You don't want to run out of sample before you've identified what you have!

Comb the net to find diagrams and descriptions of each test that needs to be performed, pictures of the equipment and explanations of any solutions or materials used to prepare the sample for study. These materials should be included as part of your formal laboratory report. The diagrams should be incorporated into the Powerpoint presentation.

There is no "I" in teamwork. There are a bunch of other letters of the alphabet missing too. Someone needs to write the report, someone needs to put together the powerpoint presentation and someone needs to give the oral presentation to the class. That someone shouldn't be the same person. Please realize, too, that these jobs are not equal in difficulty or the amount of work performed. Share the responsibilities by writing together and composing the presentation and reports together. Each of your grades will be determined by the sum total of the work you do as a team.

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Use the following internet resources to help you in your search for the identity of the substance you receive. Be sure to keep a log of all sites you visit so that this information can be recorded as part of your bibliography, or works cited page. Team members should keep each other informed of new sites found via research.

About.com is a nifty alternative to the typical search engine since it uses actual people who specialize in your area of interest to comb the internet in search of interesting and useful stuff on your topic. This has the added bonus of your specialist cutting out all of the useless stuff for you. Just type in a one or two word description of your topic and away you go! Most keen.
Analytical Chemistry: this tutorial, via lecture notes of Professor James K. Hardy, University of Akron, provides an excellent starting place for you to learn about the various aspects of analytical chemistry, data analysis and instrumentation.
Analytical Chemistry Basics: just what the name implies. The topics are arranged in the order in which they are commonly presented in an undergraduate analytical chemistry course. Many of the documents listed here contain links to remedial material and related topics. Remedial is a good thing when you don't know anything yet!
Analytical Chemistry Springboard: this is a comprehensive list of sites for analytical chemistry on the internet.
Bad Bug Book: this handbook provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Bad Science: this is an article on the use of forensics in law enforcement.
Basics of DNA Fingerprinting: exactly what the name implies. If you aren't sure where to begin with DNA evidence, begin here!
Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Evidence: case studies in the use of DNA evidence to establish innocence after trial.
Crime and Clues: the Art of Physical Evidence: this site has excellent background information as well as historical information and materials you won't easily find elsewhere.
Crime Scene Investigator's Site: the site contains information on photography, evidence collection, and training as well as articles on a wide range of topics.
DNA Detection: cool fact of the day information on PCR.
DNA Fingerprinting: the basics of DNA fingerprinting as composed by students at the University of Washington.
DNA Testing: for the non-scientist. A few big words, not really scary concepts. Dictionaries are good things when reading any new material!
Evidence: the True Witness: this is a site constructed by students in the Think Quest program. Use it with caution. There is an interactive game that explains how some tests are run and you should find some good ideas. The reference section has some excellent places to begin.
Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology: site put together by the same folks as the Forensic Science Resource page. Excellent hits here as well that are specific to chemistry and toxicology.
Forensic Science Resources: this is a site that is a good launching pad for the many different areas within the study of forensic science. Not all of the connections may work, be patient.
Genelex.com: Genelex was founded in 1987 for the express purpose of performing forensic DNA analysis services to the justice system. Since that time they have completed dozens of cases and currently perform DNA analysis by the most advanced and widely used STR methods. Check out what they have to say about the use of DNA in court.
Google.com: is without a doubt one of the best and fastest internet search engines around. Give them a try. You can search within a search list to cut down on bad hits.
Mass Spectroscopy: this site was written by JEOL and is meant for the ABSOLUTE novice. Wondering who JEOL is? They manufacture, sell and service various analytical instruments ranging from NMR to Mass Spectroscopes and electron microscopes.
NOLO Legal Encyclopedia includes the best do-it-yourself legal help anywhere. Completely searchable.
NOLO's DNA Evidence, it's in your genes
NOLO's Drug Testing
NOLO's introduction to Scientific Evidence
Protecting the Crime Scene: article by George Schiro, a forensic scientist with the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory, explaining proper procedures for the collection of evidence without too much disruption to the crime scene. Be sure to read the connected articles on Examination and Documentation of the Crime Scene, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, and Sexual Assault Evidence.
Science of Crime: from the Why Files. Basic information about the collection of evidence and how it can be used to solve a case.
Scientific Testimony: an online journal for the forensic scientist. Be sure to check out the archived materials as well as some of the tutorial information on basic forensics.
Search Warrants? Probable Cause? Visit the LexisNexis for Law Schools Capsule study for information about how to obtain a warrant and other important information concerning your suspect's fourth amendment rights. There are individual chapters detailing and outlining the entire process of the Criminal Procedure. Be sure to do a search of their site for further information.

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion
Teacher Page | Evidence Room | Powerpoint Points

Your grade will be determined according to the following scale:
35% Powerpoint presentation: be certain to include the questions that you needed to ask yourself to solve this mystery, the reasons why you could rule out some conclusions and definitively convict or exonerate your suspect with the evidence. Click here to download my grade sheet for this portion of the presentation.
35% Written report: be sure to include how you prepared your evidence for testing, materials and equipment used, diagrams and air tight conclusions. Click here to download my grade sheet for this portion of the presentation.
20% Oral presentation: how are you sure you have identified the evidence accurately? What other materials might it have been? Why are you positive of your work in ruling out other materials? Click here to download my grade sheet for this portion of the presentation.
10% Bibliography of sites and references used. This should be included with the powerpoint presentation.

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion
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When you are finished with this webquest, I hope you will have an idea of the type of work that goes into this important facet of the legal justice system. It is an field that is open to students with an interest in biology, genetics, chemistry, computers, programming, anthropology and other areas. Forensics investigations are rewarding to the Sherlock Holmes in all of us.

Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion
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Email me if you find that any of the sites included in this project do not connect or if you have questions.

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