FBI Intelligence Analyst Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating a source, an analyst learns the informant has financial ties to the subject under investigation. How should this affect the assessment?
- The source reliability rating should be lowered due to potential bias (Correct answer)
- The information should be accepted as fully credible
- The financial tie makes the source automatically reliable
- Bias is irrelevant once information is reported
Correct answer: The source reliability rating should be lowered due to potential bias
A financial interest introduces motive bias, which reduces a source's reliability rating.
Question 2: An analyst notices two independent reports describe the same event with identical wording. What is the most likely concern?
- The reports are circular reporting from a single original source (Correct answer)
- The reports are doubly confirmed and stronger
- The wording proves both sources are firsthand
- Identical wording always means the event is true
Correct answer: The reports are circular reporting from a single original source
Identical wording suggests circular reporting, where one source is recycled and not truly independent.
Question 3: Which analytic technique deliberately challenges a leading hypothesis by assigning analysts to argue against it?
- Devil's advocacy (Correct answer)
- Brainstorming
- Linchpin analysis
- Pattern matching
Correct answer: Devil's advocacy
Devil's advocacy assigns someone to build the strongest case against the prevailing view to test its soundness.
Question 4: An analyst must brief leadership but has incomplete data with a deadline in one hour. What is the best approach?
- Present the assessment with clearly stated confidence levels and gaps (Correct answer)
- Delay the briefing until all data is gathered
- Present only the data that supports one conclusion
- Withhold the briefing because conclusions are uncertain
Correct answer: Present the assessment with clearly stated confidence levels and gaps
Communicating findings with explicit confidence levels and identified gaps lets decision-makers act responsibly under uncertainty.
Question 5: What does the term 'cognitive bias' most directly threaten in analysis?
- Objective interpretation of evidence (Correct answer)
- The speed of data collection
- The classification level of a report
- The number of available sources
Correct answer: Objective interpretation of evidence
Cognitive biases distort how analysts interpret evidence, undermining objectivity.
Question 6: An analyst forms a conclusion early and then interprets all new evidence as supporting it. This describes which bias?
- Confirmation bias (Correct answer)
- Anchoring bias
- Availability bias
- Hindsight bias
Correct answer: Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor evidence that supports an existing belief while discounting contrary evidence.
Question 7: Which is the best example of an inference rather than an observation?
- The increased traffic at the warehouse suggests a shipment is imminent (Correct answer)
- Three trucks arrived at the warehouse at 0900
- The warehouse door is painted blue
- Two people exited the building
Correct answer: The increased traffic at the warehouse suggests a shipment is imminent
An inference draws a conclusion beyond what is directly seen, such as predicting a shipment from observed activity.
FBI Intelligence Analyst Skills 2
When evaluating a source, an analyst learns the informant has financial ties to the subject under investigation.
How should this affect the assessment?