The Zone Comparison "Test" (ZCT) is one of the most commonly-used  
polygraph formats, but is not addressed in the 1st electronic  
edition of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. It is a form of  
"Control" Question "Test" and is considered a single-issue "test"  
as opposed to the Modified General Question "Test" (regarding  
which, see Appendix A of of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector). 
 
In a polygraph dragnet to find out who leaked information to the  
press, I expect that a variant of the ZCT would be used.  
 
The following information on two varieties of the ZCT  
is extracted from chapter 11 of James Allen Matte's  
Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph.  
Other versions also exist. 
 
DoDPI Bi-Spot Zone Comparison Test Structure. 
 
l. Irrelevant  Is today Monday? 
 
2. Sacrifice Relevant  Regarding the incident you reported,  
   do you intend to answer truthfully each question about that? 
 
3. Symptomatic  Are you completely convinced that I will not ask  
   you a question on this test that has not already been reviewed? 
 
4. Non-Current Exclusive Control  Prior to 1993, did you ever lie  
   to anyone in a position of authority? 
 
5. Relevant  Did you lie about that man forcing you to have sexual  
   intercourse with him? 
 
6. Non-Current Exclusive Control  Prior to this year, did you ever  
   lie about something you are ashamed of? 
 
7. Relevant  Did you lie about that man forcing you to have sexual  
   intercourse with him in his apartment? 
 
8. Non-Current Exclusive Control  Prior to 1990, did you ever lie  
   to get out of trouble? 
 
9. Symptomatic  Is there something else you are afraid I will ask  
   you a question about, even though I have told you I would not? 
 
 
 
Utah Zone Comparison Technique 
 
 1. Irrelevant 
 
 2. Sacrifice Relevant 
 
 3. Symptomatic 
 
 4. Control 
 
 5. Relevant 
 
 6. Control 
 
 7. Relevant 
 
 8. Irrelevant 
 
 9. Control 
 
10. Relevant 
 
Matte notes regarding the Utah technique that "at all times  
relevant test questions responses at each (R) position are  
compared only with the responses to the previous control  
question position..." 
 
Persons using polygraph countermeasures to protect against a  
false positive outcome should not bother memorizing question  
orders, but should learn to recognize "control" questions on  
the fly. See chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector for  
details on how to recognize "control" questions.