“Say something worth saying about something worth saying
something about.”
Dr. Richard Paul & Dr. Linda Elder, “How to Write a Paragraph” 2007
Objectives of This Block
• Given the previous blocks on internet searching and critical
thinking, and this short block on the Intelligence Community
Directive (ICD) Analytic Standards, participants should
• Relate a familiarity with the Analytic Standards and
Compare those to standards of inquiry & research in
academics or science
• Recognize the similarity between “college writing” and the
writing produced in the Intelligence Community
• Examine a news article according to the Standards and
Appraise its information value
• Prepare and Deliver a short, impromptu oral presentation
of individual evaluations
What We Teach in the Writing Course
• The Concept of Writing
• Grammar (!!!)
• Parts of Speech
• Punctuation
• Sentences and Sentence Structure Errors
• Basic Argumentation
• Issue
• Claim
• Evidence
• Planning Your Document
• Purpose
• Audience
• Outline (!!!)
Intelligence On the Web
• Office of the Director of National Intelligence
• http://www.dni.gov/index.html
• Intelligence Community
“Collaboration. Commitment. Courage.”
• http://www.intelligence.gov/
• Intelligence Community Directives
• http://www.dni.gov/electronic_reading_room.htm
ODNI
Mission, Vision, and Goals
Mission
Lead Intelligence Integration
Forge an Intelligence Community that
delivers the most insightful intelligence
possible.
Vision
A Nation made more secure because of a
fully integrated Intelligence Community.
Goals
•Integrate intelligence analysis and
collection to inform decisions made from
the White House to the foxhole.
•Drive responsible and secure information
sharing.
•Set strategic direction and priorities for
national intelligence resources and
capabilities.
•Develop and implement Unifying
Intelligence Strategies across regional and
functional portfolios.
•Strengthen partnerships to enrich
intelligence.
•Advance cutting-edge capabilities to
provide global intelligence advantage.
•Promote a diverse, highly-skilled
intelligence workforce that reflects the
strength of America.
•Align management practices to best
serve the Intelligence Community.
Intelligence Community Directive 203
- Analytic Standards
“…the writer’s original perception…may be as
erroneous as the reader’s.” (Stephen King, 2000)
Primary Standards
•
•
•
•
•
Objectivity
Independent of Political Considerations
Timeliness
Based on All Available Sources of Intelligence
Exhibits Proper Standards of Analytic Tradecraft
Intelligence Community Directive 203
- Analytic Standards
Sub-Standards
• Properly Describes Quality & Reliability of Underlying Sources
• Properly Caveats & Expresses Uncertainties or Confidence in
Analytic Judgments
• Properly Distinguishes between Underlying Intelligence &
Analyst’s Assumptions and Judgments
• Incorporates Alternative Analysis Where Appropriate
• Demonstrates Relevance to U.S. National Security
• Uses Logical Argumentation
• Exhibits Consistency of Analysis Over Time, or Highlights Changes
and Explains Rationale
• Makes Accurate Judgments and Assessments
Demonstration
Article: The Game Goes On
• Do you think the author is being objective?
• Do you think this article is “pushing” a political viewpoint?
• Do you think this article is using multiple, verified sources of
information?
• Are you confident that this article can be trusted?
• Is the article structured clearly?
• Does the article demonstrate consistent thought throughout?
• What is the main claim of the author?
• Does the author explicitly state the claim and does the author
support this claim with appropriate evidence?
• Does the author distinguish between assumptions and conclusions
(inferences)?
Structured Thinking Produces Structured Writing
“…based on verifiable data as well as objective
evaluation of any…evidence. It means, among
other things, that personal opinions…are
irrelevant. Moreover, all arguments should be
supported by either primary or secondary
sources, and illustrate (how)..concepts are
accepted or rejected…”
(http://essay-writing.suite101.com/article.cfm/how n.d.)
Practice
Evaluate the Article: Florida Fails on Funding
• Do you think the author is being objective?
• Do you think this article is “pushing” a political viewpoint?
• Do you think this article is using multiple, verified sources
of information?
• Are you confident that this article can be trusted?
• Is the article structured clearly?
• Does the article demonstrate consistent thought
throughout?
• What is the main claim of the author?
• Does the author explicitly state the claim and does the
author support this claim with appropriate evidence?
• Does the author distinguish between assumptions and
conclusions (inferences)?
Production
“How do I know what I think until I can see what I say?”
E.M. Forster
• Write a paragraph summary of the article using your evaluation.
Use proper grammar and sentence structure. Keep it at 5
sentences.
What We Teach in the Oral Presentation Course
• 4 Delivery Methods
• The Value of Practice
• Perception & the Psychology of
Speech
• Self-Perception & Self-Talk
• The Perceptions of Others
• The Brain & Speech
• Language & the Exchange of
Information
• Non-Verbal Communication
• The Presentation
• Informing
• Persuading
Oral Presentations
“We gather our ideas to put them into words and if our words
aren’t empty or hollow, we might get those ideas across to a
listener who can unpack our words to extract their content.”
Steven Pinker
Each participant will present your evaluation of the article in no
more than two minutes each. Do not reference any other
participant’s work.
Begin by saying, “My evaluation of this article finds…”
Your Words Are Your Most Important Commodity
“For be it remembered that words no more than dollars are to be
scattered, broadcast for the sole reason that you have them.”
Greever & Bachelor, The Century Vocabulary Builder