Handwriting Column Is Plagiarized

By: Dave Astor Updated at 12:40 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

It didn't require a physician to diagnose that Sharon Tschirhart column's late last month plagiarized an April piece by "Handwriting Doctor" Michelle Dresbold.

The explanation, according to Tschirhart: She was recovering from major surgery, and, unbenownst to her, an assistant rewrote Dresbold's column off the Internet.

"I was really shocked," Dresbold told E&P Online. "It was 85-90% my article with someone else's name."

The April piece by Dresbold -- who's self-syndicated to about 20 newspapers -- analyzed the handwriting of accused murderer Scott Peterson. It read, in part: "Look at the right half of Peterson's signature. Do you see how it resembles a weapon -- a hook or a whip -- or, perhaps, a fishing rod and line? Weapon-shaped structures in handwriting are signs of hostility and aggression. Sometimes, they point out a killer's weapon of choice."

Tschirhart's column read, in part: "Look at Peterson's signature. Do you see how the last half of his signature looks like a whip, or perhaps, a fishing rod and line? Any time there is a weapon-shaped structure in handwriting, it signifies hostility and/or aggression. It can even point out a killer's weapon of choice."

In a letter of apology to readers, Tschirhart said she had planned to have past "Write Connection" columns run while recuperating from surgery. "My helper did not know that I had made this arrangement and saw that my column was due ... . Ignorance is no excuse, but she thought the Internet was public domain ... . She thought she was helping me out." Tschirhart also apologized directly to Dresbold in an e-mail.

E&P Online couldn't reach Tschirhart by phone, and two e-mails sent to her were not answered.

Tschirhart's clients include the Boerne (Texas) Star and The Baxter Bulletin of Mountain Home, Ark. A member of the Star sales staff told E&P Online that Tschirhart's column is no longer running in the paper. And Bulletin Managing Editor Sheila Boggess said her paper dropped "Write Connection" while also publishing a statement about the plagiarizing. "We reacted as quickly as we knew about it," she added.

Dresbold (profiled in Syndicate World, Nov. 21, 2002) said she doesn't plan to sue Tschirhart. What she would like is for papers who want a handwriting-analysis column to run hers rather than Tschirhart's. Boggess said the Bulletin is not running another handwriting feature "at this point."

Another example of similar passages:

Dresbold's column: "What does the signature of Scott Peterson tell us about him? A signature shows how you wish to be perceived by others. Notice that Peterson's signature is illegible. Handwriting is a means of communication. A signature that is unreadable shows that the writer doesn't want others to 'read' him. He wants to keep his feelings hidden from the public and does not want his true self revealed."

Tschirhart's column: "The signature placed on this personal property list tells us something about him. Our signature is our public persona, or how you wish to be perceived by others. Notice that his signature is illegible. We handwrite something to others as a means of communication. A signature that is illegible indicates that the writer doesn't want others to 'know' him. He wishes to keep his feelings hidden from the others and is not willing to reveal his true inner self."