Enhancing the student learning experience through memes.

Meme-making is an effective method for engaging students and enhancing the learning environment. Memes are a social media cultural phenomenon that the majority of those in Higher Education are exposed to on an almost daily occurrence. This research examined the use of meme-making within the forensic sciences to allow students to reflect on their knowledge.

Using sketchnoting as a revision aid with forensic students.

The concept of Sketchnoting was first introduced by Mike Rhode as a means of capturing information in a visual form using a combination of the visual and words. Within Higher Education a Sketchnote can be used to record or summarise key points from a body of information using a combination of words, simple pictures, layout and graphics. Creating a Sketchnote allows a student to be able summarise key facts from a presentation, journal article, book or practical session in a visual manner that is easier to recall at a later time.

Investigating the effect photodegradation has on natural fibres at a microscopic level.

It is a known fact that when fabric is left exposed to sunlight photodegradation occurs. However, no study has ever looked at the photodegradation that occurs to individual fibre filaments as commonly recovered from a scene of crime. To look at photodegradation of individual fibres, wool and cotton fabric were dyed using CI Acid Red 27 and CI Direct Red 80 respectively at two depths of shade, 0.

The transfer of fibres via weapons from garments.

Stabbings have been reported as the most frequent violent crime in countries where there is a severe restriction on obtaining firearms, such as the United Kingdom. Knives, scissors, and screwdrivers, as studied in this research, are among the most commonly encountered weapons involving stabbing events. When any of these implements are used in a stabbing, there is potential for the garment(s) worn by the victim to be damaged.

An investigation into the persistence of textile fibres on buried carcasses.

A significant amount of research has been carried out on fibres to aid the forensic scientist in determining the significance of these when found on a victim or suspect. This work has focused on open-air environments, and as such no research has been undertaken to examine the persistence of fibres on bodies in the burial environment. Wool and cotton fibres, known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light, were transferred onto the skin of four porcine (Sus scrofa) carcasses (two carcasses per fibre type).

An assessment of firework particle persistence on the hands and related police force practices in relation to GSR evidence.

In a previous study by Grima et al. Sci. Justice 52 (1) (2012) 49, it was shown that background particles can aid in the exclusion of firework particles which are indistinguishable from GSR.