Introduction
In this final activity for the course, you will write your last essay quiz about which part of the intelligence cycle is the most important, and why. Remember, the intelligence process refers to steps or stages in intelligence, from policy makers perceiving a need for information to the community’s delivery of an analytical intelligence product to them. The intelligence process involves six steps; requirements, collection, processing and exploitation, analysis and production, dissemination and consumption, and feedback.
Activity Instructions
Before tackling your final essay, be sure to review chapter 4 The Intelligence Process—A Macro Look, our online resource from the U.S. Naval War College, and our discussions on the topic in Week 4. As you do so, consider which part of the intelligence process or cycle strikes you as being most important as you compare it with the other parts, As you begin writing your initial post, it will be helpful to provide what the intelligence process is and its purpose first, then address the specific phases of the intelligence cycle and what they do. Decide on a part that is most important in your view and describe it next in your post. Lastly explain, in your opinion, why this part of the intelligence cycle is the most important one, giving as many sound reasons as you can find and think of. Draw on our text and online resource for this topic as well as our discussions from week 4, making sure you provide at least two supporting references for your opinion.
At the end of your submission, include a brief Design Statement explaining the process and tools you used to develop your work. Your statement should be about a paragraph or so, in your own words (rather than formally written), and unique to this assignment.
Why are we asking for this? Find out more about Design Statements.
Writing and Submission Requirements
500-word essay not including title page or references page
12-point Times New Roman font
Ensure you use the Essay Quiz Template located on the course Home Page in the Course Documents folder.
You must also use the Intelligence Source Citation Reference Guide for proper reference citation methodology. It is also located in the Course Documents folder.
Remember to include your Design Statement.
Tips for Success
The point of this final essay quiz is to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the intelligence process and its importance to the development of final intelligence products that are used to support national security objectives. Make sure you provide what the intelligence process is and its purpose first. Ensure you identify and describe which aspect of the intelligence process is most important and explain why. Finally, remember to use the Holistic Grading Assistance Guide as a means to measure the quality of your research and writing, which is located in Course Documents.