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.
Re:CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
by joel_perl_prog on Sunday November 24, 2013 @04:38PM
(#6791251)
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?)
Re:CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
by kumarski on Monday November 25, 2013 @03:31AM
(#6793054)
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.
Re:CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
by p1esk on Sunday November 24, 2013 @08:55PM
(#6792100)
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.
Re:CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
by testsheep on Sunday November 24, 2013 @08:42PM
(#6792063)
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.
Re:CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf]
by fit2rule on Monday November 25, 2013 @11:01AM
(#6794774)
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!
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.
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
The main distinction is all of the examples casually relate to activity the CIA may be involved in:
- elections - terrorist plots
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...
"And we are not historians"
No shit.
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.
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.)
http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/2549...
Geoffrey K. Pullum is a jealous little man.
http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-Academic/d...
"We do not pile up detail. Data dumps are not the way to show our expertise."
{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!