Intelligence Analyst Flashcards
7 cards from real FBI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Intelligence Analyst flashcards as text
An analyst is given conflicting reports from a reliable source and a new untested source. Which approach is most appropriate?
Answer: Weigh each report by source reliability and corroboration before judging
Analysts should evaluate reliability and corroboration rather than treating all sources equally.
What does OSINT stand for in intelligence collection?
Answer: Open-Source Intelligence
OSINT is intelligence derived from publicly available, open sources.
An analyst writes: 'It is certain the group will act within 48 hours,' based on a single uncorroborated tip. What is the main flaw?
Answer: Overstated certainty unsupported by the evidence
Expressing certainty from a single uncorroborated tip overstates confidence beyond what the evidence supports.
A budget shows 40% allocated to surveillance, 25% to analysis, 20% to logistics, and the rest to training. What percentage goes to training?
Answer: 15%
40 plus 25 plus 20 equals 85, leaving 15% for training.
Which cognitive bias involves favoring information that confirms pre-existing beliefs?
Answer: Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek or favor evidence that supports existing beliefs.
An analyst must determine relevance of a document to a tasking. Which question is most useful?
Answer: Does the document address the specific intelligence question asked?
Relevance is judged by whether the material answers the specific intelligence requirement.
Why do analysts use structured analytic techniques such as devil's advocacy?
Answer: To challenge consensus and expose weak assumptions
Devil's advocacy deliberately challenges prevailing views to test the strength of assumptions.