introduction to. communication always be available during your scheduled hours and don’t be awol ...
TRANSCRIPT
Communication
Always be available during your scheduled hours and DON’T BE AWOL
Keep Research Dept in the loopQuality assurance for STRATFORAccess to resources and guidance for youAvoid huge wastes of time
Reply-All is the rule, not the exception
Time Management
Always start with the assumption that the information exists
Where can the information be found and how long will it take to find it?
Spend enough time that the research is solid, but not so much that a missed deadline destroys its value
Set goals and try to keep them
Research as Analytic Support Speed
Focus is keyEfficiency – we’ll get more into that laterKnowing where to go (hint: probably not
Google)
QualityAccuracy is absolutely criticalCompletion is our goal in everythingNeat, organized, accessible
The Importance of Primary Sources
DON’TOutsource your brainTrust “common knowledge”Trust the first report you come across
DOStart stupid, build upBe able to trust your researchBecome an authority
Primary Sources Overview Alphabet soup organizations State Dept background notes, LOC
Country Studies, OpenCRS Government websites
Ministries for everything! Trade, finance, defense, foreign affairs, etc.
Central banks Reference library
Janes, Military Balance, Energy Atlas, China Statistical Yearbook, magazines, etc
Economic
IMF. IFS, WEO, SDDS, Article IV consultations, papers.
UN. Commodities, demographics, external debt, developmental.
EIA, IEA, OPEC, BP, Petroleum Economist, Oil and Gas Journal, FAS, FAO, USGS
Eurostat, ITC TradeMap, bilaterals.org
Military and CT DOD/Dot-Mils, Press releases, PAOs UNHCR, ReliefWeb, Logistics Cluster Global Security, Military Periscope,
SIPRI, INSS, Jane’s, IISS Balance RAND, Brookings,
UnderstandingWar.org, etc NCTC WITS, UMD GTD, SATP Facebook, blogs (surprisingly)
Finding Primary Sources Research sources XLS Networked bookmarks Google - I lied, it’s awesome
Search modifiers, URL analysisDatabase search
WikipediaBe careful – Only good as a jumping off pointCheck the links at the bottom
Trade orgs and market reports – money at stake and boots on the ground
Blogs
Media Reports asSecondary Sources
Media reports almost always reference the primary source
Sometimes information can only be found in media reports – we’ll take it (reluctantly)
Digging up Media Reports Best media reports of all are at
stratfor.com – use it. Your own email
Quick Find vs. Message SearchOS collections and translations
Mailman archives Google News/Archives/Newspapers
Modifiers work here too BBC Monitoring
Radix non grata CIA World Factbook
Woefully outdated, frequently inaccurate Most junk on Wikipedia
OpinionAnalysisOutright lunacy
Indexmundi and NationmasterJust aggregating from sources you should know
anyway (and CIA Factbook) Whatever random garbage your Google
search turned up
Doing It Well
Read the fine print Make sure units match Consider the broader context Independently verify
Cold Calls Can yield information very quickly if
targeted correctly Generate contacts, submit for archival
NamesTitles
How to identify yourselfGlobal intelligence company (mysterious)Research firm (business focused)Online publishing (innocuous)
Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer – get a referral
Who To Contact
Reporters Other academics and researchers Information desks at government
agencies and libraries Public affairs officers The appropriate attaché at the embassy Local business, chamber of commerce,
port authority, police department, statistical agency, etc, etc.
Finding Contact Info
Refer back to section on Google
Academic papers are usually the mother lode of contact info
Check the executive summaries and back covers
Phone or Email? Phone is often better than email
Harder to ignoreInject some humanity into the interaction
and even lay on a little charm Email may be more appropriate
Time zone differencesEasier to relay complex data
Get calls in early, then hit your primary resources while you wait for call back
Formatting Rules
Learn them once, benefit for the rest of your time here
Senior staff insists on quality Don’t send a Word doc to do an Excel
spreadsheet’s job Your final product must be accessible
Put yourself in your “client’s” shoes
Present It Backwards
If you’re asked a question, what is expected? Put it at the top.
Then include a summary that outlines how you got there
Get into the nuts and bolts last
CITE CITE CITE CITE CITE
Much of this research will be your legacy at STRATFOR. Please don’t make me throw it away.
Fully document both your sources and methods
Be as specific as possible
DATE DATE DATE DATE DATE
I’m tired of typing these slides
Just date everything, okay?
That means individual components, sources, entire documents, everything!
Alternative Platforms
Google Earth Timeline Maker Slideshow (PPT/PDF) Mixed
Word/ExcelEarth/Text/GraphicsWhatever makes the information most
accessible
Real World vs. Academia
Different time management strategiesAcademia: Two minutes early same as two
days earlyReal World: Real gains for early
submissions. (Caveat: still has to be right) “Just get it turned in” is not an option Citations must be rigorously traced back
to their original source