
CIA Analyst Training Handbook (2000) [pdf] - stfu
http://cryptome.org/cia-ath.pdf
======
jakarta
A better read: Psychology of Intelligence Analysis

by Richards J. Heuer, Jr.

[https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-
intellig...](https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-
intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/psychology-of-intelligence-
analysis/)

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.

------
joel_perl_prog
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

------
hayksaakian
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

------
steveplace
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-
intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/Tradecraft%20Primer-
apr09.pdf)

------
thearn4
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.

------
allochthon
While the English is good, there are very few standalone paragraphs. It's like
a huge deck of powerpoint slides.

------
hacknat
My least favorite bullet point:

"And we are not historians"

No shit.

------
kumarski
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.

~~~
klapinat0r
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.)

~~~
kumarski
good point. argh.

------
antimora
I like a lot of bullet points in this document.

------
lasermike026
This can't be serious. We are so screwed.

------
stephenitis
can someone analyze this and comeback with a tldr?

~~~
CamperBob2
TL,DR: Read Strunk & White.

~~~
pstuart
Or maybe not?

[http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-
Grammar/2549...](http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-
Grammar/25497)

~~~
p1esk
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.

------
rfnslyr
_" It is not our job to know everything"

"We do not pile up detail. Data dumps are not the way to show our expertise."_

------
jtnl
thanks!

------
gerberduffy
Page 1: "One plus one equals three!"

------
testsheep
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.

~~~
njharman
There are people who dumpster dive for fun.

~~~
fit2rule
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!

