PART 1 SYLLABUS

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GRAPHOLOGY

A: EYE-TRAINING

To provide a sound basis from which to prepare a report, the student should be aware of the wide range of possible movements that may occur in a person’s handwriting (h/w)
The student should be able to:

1. observe and record all the relevant movements in a sample of h/w
2. adopt an organised and systematic (scientific) method of working
3. be accurate and factual in all observations
4. produce a list of movements or ‘checklist’, in which the first general impressions, observations and assessments of the script are accurately recorded
5. assess accurately and record the speed and form level (standard), and understand their application to a script
6. recognise and assess in a script all the individual movements and categories of movements that are present, and allocate them correctly to the following areas:
1. Degree of rhythm - e.g. rhythmic, arrhythmic, stilted etc.
2. Degree and consistency of regularity / irregularity
3. Size with reference to:
   • absolute size
   • individual zonal sizes
   • balance of zones
   • fluctuations of absolute size and / or individual zones
   • increasing / decreasing of letters or words
4. Slant of the downstrokes in relation to the baseline
5. Degree and placement of pressure - heavy, medium, light, lateral, varying
6. Type of stroke - pasty, sharp, distinct, etc.
7. Degree of currency - good, fair, disturbed
8. Layout
   • on the page
   • margins
   • spacing between words, letters, lines, paragraphs
   • address
   • signature
   • envelope
9. Baselines
   • direction of slope
   • shape
   • spacing
10. Horizontal expansion of letters (width) - broadness / narrowness
11. Horizontal tension e.g. well sustained, slack, weak etc.
12. Degree of connection of letters within words - e.g. connected, disconnected, partial, etc.
13. Form of connection - e.g. copybook, angular, arcade, garland, wavy-line, thread etc.
14. Style (form of letters) - full, lean, simplified, neglected, enriched, elaborated, printed, calligraphic (stylised), rounded, square
15. Tendencies - rightward, leftward (given as dominants, secondaries or miscellaneous movements as appropriate) in any or all of the three zones
16. Other movements
    • starting and ending strokes
    • oval letters
    • capital letters
    • diacritics
    • personal pronoun 'I'
    • covering strokes and counter strokes
17. Other Miscellaneous Movements

B: ASSEMBLING DATA FOR WORKING NOTES

1. The student should know the general meaning and basic interpretation of all the main graphological movements.
2. The student should be able to complete the standard B.I.G. worksheets for the assessment of Form Standard (F.S.).
3. From a given script, the student should be able to discern which handwriting movements are dominant, which are of secondary importance, and which are miscellaneous movements.
4. The student should understand that any interpretation requires supporting evidence in the form of two or more other handwriting movements that have the same or similar psychological meaning, and that confirmatory evidence should be given in the worksheets before any interpretation is included in the report.
5. The student should understand the importance of the Form Standard and be able to take this into consideration when making interpretations.
6. From the number of occurrencies and the strength of the movements, the student should be able to assess the correct degree of emphasis or weighting that should be given to any interpretation.
7. The student should be able to assemble interpretations appropriately under various headings for use when preparing a report.

C: INTEGRATION OF WORKING NOTES TO PRODUCE THE BRIEF PORTRAIT

1. The student should beable to allocate the confirmed interpretations appropriately to one or more of the following categories:
   • General Vitality and General Well-Being
   • Personality Structure
   • Social Attitudes and Reactive Behaviour
   • Intellectual Qualities
   • Working Qualities
   • Interests and Personal Tastes
   • Summary
2. The student should be able to convert interpretations into suitable sentences and paragraphs using clear, simple language, avoiding technical terms and expressing any negative interpretations in as positive and constructive a manner as possible.
3. The student should be able to combine several, often contradictory, interpretations in order to integrate the description of the character.
4. The student should be able to compile an outline sketch of the personality as a whole, and write a report that is well-rounded, consistent and reads well, avoiding anomalies under individual headings and between sections.
5. The student should be able to conclude the report with a short summary.
6. The student should number all pages and submit all work, including working notes, in an organised and presentable manner.
7. The student should understand the application of the Institute’s Code of Ethics in all its aspects.