Virtual Investigation

Virtual Investigation!

The big idea behind this assignment is that you are going to create a stand-alone virtual investigation. Something an ‘investigator’ could pick up and complete on their own with out you needing to be the ‘dungeon master’. The investigation will need to have investigators expertly interpret forensic evidence (or other material you learned in the course) in order to solve the investigation/mystery. You can find a completed example on this website as a reference. I have outlined the process for you and your group members to follow below during the creation of your investigation;

1. Brainstorm: what kind of crime/mystery will your investigation be?! Try to come up with something fun and engaging! Its ok to be serious OR silly with it!

2. What kind of evidence will there be? There needs to be at least 4 different kinds and should be consistent with the scenario you are creating.

   1. From our units: Chemical analysis (GC-MS etc), radiochemical, microscopy, evidence collection, blood typing, blood spatter, DNA, mDNA, PMI estimation, X-rays, fingerprints, hair, Fiber, bones, ecology, botany, bugs (entomology), pollen/spores (palynology and mycology), arson, explosives, document analysis, soil, paint, glass, firearms, impression evidence, crime scene reconstruction

3. Flow: will you do a chain-of-puzzles approach where each puzzle leads to the next puzzle or 'solve all of them to get all of the clues' approach? How will the 'investigators' solve the investigation?

   1. For an example of the ‘solve all the puzzles to get all the clues’ approach, check out this website (bonus points for solving the case!)

4. Format: What will ‘investigators’ be working with? Here are some ideas that you are NOT limited to

   1. Website: sites.google.com lets you create your own website with multiple pages and collaborators so yall can work on it together simultaneously. You can also ‘hide’ pages from navigation, and have the clue from analysis #1 give you the URL ending for where to find the next clue. Ex: donochem.com/stem-night solution: "fingerprint” ---> donochem.com/stem-night/fingerprint to get to clue #2

   2. Slides Presentation: Maybe you’re really comfortable with using slides and can envision a seamless experience for people using that.

   3. Prezi: I have used these in the past to set up a crime scene where investigators had to zoom in to different parts to find the evidence. Ex: here

5. Puzzles: What kinds of puzzles will you use. Use at least 3 different TYPES (ex; don't use all cryptograms)

   1. Ideas for puzzles/clues to give your creativity a jump start:

      1. Combination to a safe; each analysis of the evidence gives you one of the numbers

      2. Evidence based riddles with clues as reward for each analysis (see website for example)

      3. Treasure map to find the evidence, each clue gives a direction to go in. Use google form for correct sequence (left, right forward etc)

      4. Cryptogram puzzle: each little puzzle gives you 1+ letters/key

      5. Analyze evidence, use form to validate correct answers and then clue (see website for example)

      6. Crossword to complete a QR code 

      7. The only limit is your creativity!

6. Plan of action: Come up with a step by step plan of HOW an investigator can solve it

   1. Step 1: visit the home page to get the background information and find all the evidence 

   2. Step 2: solve evidence #1 (fingerprints) by identifying the minutiae to spell out the rest of the clue; “Bill is _____________” which is completed to say “Bill is on an end”.

   3. Step 3: etc.

   4. Final Step: use all 5 clues to determine the proper order of the line up which is X, Y, Z. Use a google form to verify they have the right answer and identify the perpetrator, which brings them to a congratulations screen!

7. Create the evidence based puzzles! Enough planning! Go Make the stuff!

8. Create the ‘thing’ where investigators will go to for the investigation with the puzzles in place (website, slides, prezi etc.) including any of the necessary introduction/backstory they will need to know.

9. Proof of concept: after its ‘finished’, solve your own case! Make sure it can be completed by someone who has NO IDEA about what went into the planning of it.

10. Submit your work to classroom!

Once we have compiled all the investigations, you will have time to complete your peers projects!

Handout

Group Member Names:

Deadlines:

Steps 1-5: 2/24

Step 6: 4/26

Step 7-10: 5/2

Investigation of Peers Projects: 5/3

1. Brainstorm: What will your backstory be? (30 pts)

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2. What types of evidence will you include? Minimum 4 different types. (40 pts)

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3. Flow: how will the evidence lead to solving the investigation? (10 pts)

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4. Format: What format will you use? (10 pts)

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5. Puzzles: What types of puzzles will you use for each type of evidence? (10 pts)

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6. Plan of action: give the sequence of events that will lead to the successful completion of the investigation. BE DETAILED; (50 pts)

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7. Create your evidence based puzzles: screenshots of them here for me to check out! (50 pts)

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8. Create the ‘thing’ and post a link that I can view to it here. (100 pts)

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9. Proof of concept: have someone in your group play ‘dumb’ and work through it. Find any issues and fix them!

   1. Who tried it:

   2. Was it ‘completable?’ :

10. Submit your work to! This document will suffice! Send it to me john.donohue@ecsdm.org 

Once we have turned in and compiled the virtual investigations, you will have time to complete the ones your peers have created!

Please make a copy of this presentation for the evaluation forms and to show evidence of your progress

1. The Murder at the Masquerade! BC JW

2. Soffrirai (Thou Shalt Suffer) SK ZD JL

3. To the Face!! BA, NM, LH

4. Heroes Gone Bad JG JS

5. Untitled LE TA

6. Case 143 DG 

7. Bopers Bewildering Murder HR AG

Here you will find the submitted investigations from your peers! See how well you can do!

1. This is the best example: Live, Laugh, Love, (AB, SO, AW, AM)

2. Virtual Investigation (SA, BM, AP, LK)

3. Schmiddletown Hotel Death (AC, EG, MM)

4. Blub Blub (JS, SH, BA, AN)

5. The Nickelodeon Murder (MP, DC)

6. The Snatching of Sally Smith (TW, PS, NR, SM)