In this summary of a paper published in the Papers Presented at the Art Conservation Training Programs Conference, April 28-29 1980, (see also AATA 18-296) University of Delaware, Newman tries to establish criteria by which natural and synthetic pencil leads can be distinguished from one another on the basis of their microtopography. He begins his paper with a history of the use of natural graphite pencils and the invention of synthetic pencils. He then discusses the morphological distinctions of natural and synthetic pencil leads -- which become clear at magnifications obtainable only with a scanning electron microscope -- and describes the procedure for taking a sample for a SEM study.