IAI SP9 study plan

Define and distinguish the major bloodstain pattern categories (passive, spatter, transfer, flow, saturation) and write a one-line definition for each in your own words

Calculate angle of impact from stain width and length for at least 15 practice stains and record the arcsine values

Explain how surface texture, porosity, and angle affect stain shape and satellite spatter

Sketch a 5-stain area-of-origin construction on paper and describe the stringing method step by step

Classify given pattern descriptions as impact, cast-off, arterial, expiration, or void and justify each call in two sentences

Describe the sequence for documenting a scene: initial walkthrough, scene security, note-taking, and evidence numbering

Compare the roles of primary, secondary, and tertiary scenes and explain how transfer and contamination risk change at each

List the documentation elements required before any item is collected (photographs, sketches, measurements, chain of custody)

Outline the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) and state which setting you would change first for a dark scene versus a fast-moving event

Explain how to photograph a scene using overall, midrange, and close-up with and without scale, and why each level matters

Describe lighting choices: direct flash, bounce, oblique, and alternate light source, and match each to a surface or evidence type

Identify common photographic distortion and perspective problems and how to correct them in-camera

Explain image authenticity concerns: metadata, hashing, write-once storage, and why originals must never be edited

Describe the workflow for capturing and preserving digital video evidence, including frame-rate and resolution considerations

Explain how to extract and document still frames from video without altering the source file

Distinguish enhancement from alteration and state when each is defensible

Describe how to locate, photograph, and lift footwear impressions, including electrostatic lifting and casting on soil

Explain footwear class characteristics versus accidental or wear characteristics and how each supports comparison

List the ridge characteristics used in latent print comparison (bifurcation, ending, island, dot, enclosure) and define each

Describe latent print development sequence: powder, ninhydrin, cyanoacrylate, and when each is appropriate by surface type

Explain the ACE-V process (analysis, comparison, evaluation, verification) and what happens at each stage

Describe tenprint capture standards: rolled and plain impressions, sequence, quality checks, and rejection criteria

Explain the difference between tenprint and latent print comparison and why the reference print matters

Describe fingerprint pattern types (loop, whorl, arch) and the subcategories used in classification

Describe the scope of forensic art: composite drawing, age progression, image modification, and demonstrative evidence

Explain the cognitive interview approach used when building a composite with a witness

Describe facial feature categories used in composite construction (face shape, hairline, eyes, nose, mouth, chin)

Explain the limits of composite accuracy and how to present a composite without overstating its evidentiary weight

Complete a full-length timed practice exam and score each domain separately

Identify your two weakest domains and write a targeted review list for each

Re-derive the angle-of-impact formula and the ACE-V stages from memory without notes

Summarize the chain-of-custody and documentation requirements that apply across all eight domains