BSSn4476 The Basics of Intelligence Analysis and Open Sources

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Michael Myklín (lecturer)
Mgr. Ondřej Rojčík, MSc, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mareš, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová
Supplier department: Division of Security and Strategic Studies – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 21. 9. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 5. 10. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 12. 10. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 19. 10. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 26. 10. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 2. 11. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 16. 11. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 23. 11. 8:00–9:40 P22, Thu 30. 11. 8:00–11:40 U23
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 14 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 7/14, only registered: 2/14, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 2/14
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of the module is to equip students with practical skills in the area of intelligence analysis and open source information. Students will be able to use basic intelligence analysis techniques, to look up information in open sources and apply tools of intelligence analysis on relevant security issues of the Czech Republic, European Union or NATO, identify implications for a customer and suggest recomendations. Students will write intelligence paper and a pair of students will work on an oral presentation (details will be clarified during the first lecture).
Learning outcomes
After the completion of the course students will be able to: - distinguish academic and intelligence writing style - apply principles of intelligence writing style - understand needs of customers - analyse and present intelligence issue in written and oral form - safely search open source information - search information in media, social networks, metadata of web pages, photographs etc.
Syllabus
  • INTRODUCTION; LECTURE I.: intelligence analysis mindset; LECTURE II. intelligence analyst's writing style; how does a good intelligence analysis report looks like LECTURE III. critical thinking and structured analytical methods; OSINT SEMINAR I: principles of secure information retrieval; OSINT SEMINAR II. webint, deep-web and dark-web; SEMINAR III: tools for aggregation of information from open sources; SEMINAR IV. social search tools; geolocation tools for social networks; maps, photographs and video in open sources
Literature
    required literature
  • PHERSON, Katherine, Randolph H. PHERSON. Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence. Sage. 2017. xxvii, 376.
  • CLARK, Robert M. Intelligence analysis : a target-centric approach. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks: CQ Press, 2013, xxv, 403. ISBN 9781452206127. info
    recommended literature
  • BAZZELL, Michael. Open source intelligence techniques : resources for searching and analyzing online information. Third edition. Charleston: CCI Publishing, 2014, vi, 403. ISBN 9781494275358. info
  • HEUER, Richards J. Psychology of intelligence analysis. CIA, 1999.
  • MAJOR, James S. Communicating with Intelligence: Writing and Briefing for National Security. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.
  • RICHARDS, Julian. The art and science of intelligence analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, viii, 197. ISBN 9780199578450. info
  • HEUER, Richards J. and Randolph H. PHERSON. Structured analytic techniques for intelligence analysis. Edited by John McLaughlin. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2015, xxi, 361. ISBN 9781452241517. info
  • BEEBE, Sarah Miller and Randolph H. PHERSON. Cases in intelligence analysis : structured analytic techniques in action. Edited by Jack Davis. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2015, xlii, 353. ISBN 9781483340166. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars, individual intelligence analysis and team presentation.
Assessment methods
To complete the module student is require to attend all the sessions including individual consultations. Oral presentation of an security issue is also a requirement. The final grade is based on two 1500-1750 words (two times six to seven pages) intelligence paper.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2023/BSSn4476