Considerations when designing human performance tests in the forensic sciences

Abstract

In their 2009 report ‘Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward’ the National Academies of Science (NAS) called for the development of a body of research establishing the limits of the performance of forensic scientists on a range comparison tasks. The NAS proposed that this could be facilitated through collaboration between the forensic sciences and broader research communities. In this paper we outline a range of issues cognitive scientists routinely consider when designing human performance tests. In doing so the aim is to provide forensic scientists with tools to help avoid common research design errors while also laying a common foundation for further collaborations between cognitive and forensic scientists as sought by the NAS.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to Bryan Found, Kaye Ballantyne and Kylie Jones for their enthusiastic collaboration, helpful guidance and continuing support in the development of human performance trials for the forensic sciences.