CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf](cryptome.org)
cryptome.org
CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
http://cryptome.org/cia-ath.pdf
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can someone analyze this and comeback with a tldr?
TL,DR: Read Strunk & White.
S&W is a masterpiece. Just one cursory look through it improved my writing skills. I remember I opened it in a bookstore many years ago, and 15 minutes later I walked out with several great writing style advises planted in my head.
I can't recommend that book enough.
Geoffrey K. Pullum is a jealous little man.
Geoffrey K. Pullum is a jealous little man.
Just say adios to Strunk and White.
http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-Academic/d...
http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-Academic/d...
While the English is good, there are very few standalone paragraphs. It's like a huge deck of powerpoint slides.
Seems like a decent writing and presenting guide -- something everyone should have learned in High School
The main distinction is all of the examples casually relate to activity the CIA may be involved in:
- elections - terrorist plots
The main distinction is all of the examples casually relate to activity the CIA may be involved in:
- elections - terrorist plots
It's mostly a style guide for writing short essays that will be read by decision-makers who are too busy to read. In reading over it, I felt like I it reminded me 50 times to lead with your bottom-line main point.
Also, be wary of any word with more than three syllables.
Best part I found were some sentences an editor had yanked out. Here are a couple (editor comments in parens):
"Production units that grow food." (Farms?)
"Inhabitants of food-deficient countries." (Hungry people?)
EDIT: *had yanked out of various analyst drafts
Also, be wary of any word with more than three syllables.
Best part I found were some sentences an editor had yanked out. Here are a couple (editor comments in parens):
"Production units that grow food." (Farms?)
"Inhabitants of food-deficient countries." (Hungry people?)
EDIT: *had yanked out of various analyst drafts
It doesn't seem too different in scope from the Army's intel analyst course at Ft. Huachuca. At least the reporting aspects of the job.
A better read:
Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
by Richards J. Heuer, Jr.
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...
This volume pulls together and republishes, with some editing, updating, and additions, articles written during 1978-86 for internal use within the CIA Directorate of Intelligence. The information is relatively timeless and still relevant to the never-ending quest for better analysis. The articles are based on reviewing cognitive psychology literature concerning how people process information to make judgments on incomplete and ambiguous information. Richard Heur has selected the experiments and findings that seem most relevant to intelligence analysis and most in need of communication to intelligence analysts. He then translates the technical reports into language that intelligence analysts can understand and interpreted the relevance of these findings to the problems intelligence analysts face.
by Richards J. Heuer, Jr.
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...
This volume pulls together and republishes, with some editing, updating, and additions, articles written during 1978-86 for internal use within the CIA Directorate of Intelligence. The information is relatively timeless and still relevant to the never-ending quest for better analysis. The articles are based on reviewing cognitive psychology literature concerning how people process information to make judgments on incomplete and ambiguous information. Richard Heur has selected the experiments and findings that seem most relevant to intelligence analysis and most in need of communication to intelligence analysts. He then translates the technical reports into language that intelligence analysts can understand and interpreted the relevance of these findings to the problems intelligence analysts face.
thanks!
This can't be serious. We are so screwed.
Page 1: "One plus one equals three!"
So I am guessing that we have some people that collect data, and then others that sort through all that. God that job would suck so bad. They get to look through trash for treasure. They are pretty much dumpster divers. If I had that job, I would quit on my first day.
There are people who dumpster dive for fun.
I dumpster dive because I think its utterly criminal to throw away perfectly working equipment. Revive, recycle, re-use!
{A whole lotta oil-debt can be paid back with a return trip from the dump and a bit of patience..}
The info-gathering nature of dumpster diving still impresses me, 40 years later. Peoples' trash-cans are an open door to their rear-end, if ya know what I mean .. Don't forget to WIPE, people!
{A whole lotta oil-debt can be paid back with a return trip from the dump and a bit of patience..}
The info-gathering nature of dumpster diving still impresses me, 40 years later. Peoples' trash-cans are an open door to their rear-end, if ya know what I mean .. Don't forget to WIPE, people!
[deleted]
Here's a fun read from the CIA
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...
I like a lot of bullet points in this document.
My least favorite bullet point:
"And we are not historians"
No shit.
"And we are not historians"
No shit.
yawn. I was hoping for something with a little bit more kick.
for example:
If you enter a room, identify the tallest and shortest people, the number of exits, their dimensions, and utilize any reflective surfaces to make this possible without dying.
It seems an analyst is a paper-pusher.
for example:
If you enter a room, identify the tallest and shortest people, the number of exits, their dimensions, and utilize any reflective surfaces to make this possible without dying.
It seems an analyst is a paper-pusher.
I think you're confusing analyst with field agents.
The information you mention could be in an analysis though, but not the techniques for aquiring it.
One is writing intelligence (this), the other is gathering and collecting intel in the field (covert ops etc.)
The information you mention could be in an analysis though, but not the techniques for aquiring it.
One is writing intelligence (this), the other is gathering and collecting intel in the field (covert ops etc.)
good point. argh.