Research in Forensic Speech Science - LAN00032M

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2025-26

Module summary

This module furthers a student’s knowledge and skills in forensic speech analysis, with a focus on speaker comparison.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2025-26

Module aims

This module implements knowledge and practical skills acquired in semester 1 to the forensic domain, with a focus on the practices and problems of speaker comparison. It introduces further techniques for forensic speech analysis and the construction and delivery of evidence, including a practical and theoretical introduction to automatic speaker recognition and the calculation of likelihood ratios. The module surveys current research in the field, as it relates to practical matters, and thereby provide grounding for dissertations.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate a thorough understanding of practical methods used in forensic speech analysis, and their associated problems.

  2. demonstrate an understanding of key research issues in FSS.

  3. demonstrate an understanding of how to design research projects in the forensic domain.

  4. demonstrate practical skills in speaker identification and other applications of phonetics in the forensic domain.

Module content

This module involves a combination of lecture-style teaching and lab-based practical tasks.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Module feedback

Weekly feedback in lab sessions and office hours.

Assessment feedback given within University standards.

Indicative reading

French, J.P. & Harrison, P. (2006) Investigative and evidential application of forensic speech science. In A. Heaton-Armstrong, E. Shepherd, G. Gudjonsson & D. Wolchover (eds.) Witness Testimony: Psychological, Investigative and Evidential Perspectives. Oxford: OUP. pp. 247-262.

Jessen, M. (2008) Forensic phonetics. Language and Linguistics Compass 2(4): 671-711.

Jessen, M. (2018) Forensic voice comparison. In M. Rathert & J. Visconti (eds.) Handbook of Communication in the Legal Sphere. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 219-255.