FBI Written Communication and Report Writing Flashcards
6 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 6 FBI Written Communication and Report Writing flashcards as text
What is the primary written communication tool FBI agents use to document investigative activity and report information to supervisors?
Answer: FD-302 (Memorandum of Interview)
The FD-302 is the standard FBI form used to document interviews and witness statements, capturing who said what, when, and where the interview occurred.
What is an FBI 'Electronic Communication' (EC) used for?
Answer: Internally documenting and transmitting investigative information, leads, and administrative matters within the FBI
An EC is the standard internal FBI document used to communicate information, leads, requests, and case updates between agents, squads, and divisions within the Bureau.
When writing an FD-302, FBI agents must complete the document within how many days of the interview?
Answer: 5 business days
FBI policy requires FD-302s to be completed within 5 business days of the interview, though agents strive to complete them as soon as possible while memory is fresh.
What writing standard is most important for FBI investigative reports submitted to the U.S. Attorney's Office?
Answer: Clear, factual, objective, and jargon-free prose
FBI reports destined for prosecutors must be clear, factual, objective, and free of law enforcement jargon to be useful in court proceedings and understandable to jurors.
What is the FBI's standard for writing witness interview summaries?
Answer: Third-person narrative summary of what the witness said, attributed to the agent who conducted the interview
FD-302s are written as third-person narrative summaries, documenting what was said without being verbatim transcripts, attributed to the interviewing agent.
In FBI report writing, what should an agent do if a witness statement conflicts with other known evidence?
Answer: Note the discrepancy in the report without editorializing
Agents must accurately document all statements, including those that conflict with other evidence, noting the discrepancy objectively without editorializing or suppressing information.