Z115: Evaluating Intelligence & Information
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for this course include those defined by the ALA as prerequisites for lifelong learning
Required Books
Simon Singh, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor Books, 1999. ISBN: 978-0385495325
Assignments
|
Date Due |
% |
Assignments |
|
Sep 8 |
2 |
Search for the elusive BearShark. How many different variations of this picture can you find? You must search for photographs, not cartoons. |
|
Sep 22 |
15 |
Find three articles or posts from different sources: news media and blogs. All the articles must be on the same subject. Each article must be in a different language. Each article or post must represent a different perspective about the same subject. Describe the differences in the perspectives. What do those differences represent? NO MORE than 1000 words |
|
Oct 6 & 8 |
5 |
In class Search Quiz. |
|
Oct 20 |
15 |
Select a conspiracy theory. Select at least three different articles about it. Each article must represent a different perspective. How does each article’s perspective differ from the others. Why do their perspectives differ. NO MORE than 1000 words. |
|
|
5 |
Intelligence Community and INT Quiz |
|
Nov 17 |
15 |
Research the use of intelligence by a single foreign country. You must have at least six sources. What justification is used by that country for spying either on others or their own citizens? NO MORE than 1000 words. |
|
Nov 10 & 12 |
1 |
In class Cryptography assignment |
|
Nov 17 & 19 |
1 |
In class Cryptography assignment |
|
Dec 1 & 3 |
1 |
In class Cryptography assignment |
|
Dec 8 & 10 |
5 |
In class Cryptography quiz |
|
Dec 14 |
15 |
Find an example of a foreign country’s use of cryptography. How are they using it and why? You need at least three sources. NO MORE than 1000 words, |
|
All semester |
10 |
Attendance: show up in class or have a doctor’s excuse |
|
All semester |
10 |
Participation: be prepared, participate in discussion, or ask questions |
|
|
100 |
TOTAL PERCENTAGE |
Schedule of Readings
|
Date |
|
Subject |
Required Readings |
|
|
August 25 |
Lecture |
Introduction |
Introduction to the course: Syllabus |
|
|
August 25 & 27 |
Labs |
Search for people |
No readings |
|
|
September 1 |
Lecture |
OSINT |
Everett Rosenfeld. “Mountain Dew’s ‘Dub the Dew’ Online Poll Goes Horribly Wrong.” Time, 14 Aug 2012 Maksymilian Czuperski, John Herbst, Eliot Higgins, Alina Polyakova, Damon Wilson. Hiding in Plain Sight: Putin’s War in Ukraine. Washington, DC, 2015. Click on link and download report. |
|
|
September 1 & 3 |
Labs |
Search images |
No readings |
|
|
September 8 |
Lecture |
Conspiracy theories |
Philip Bump. “12 Million Americans Believe Lizard People Run Our Country.” The Wire, 2 April 2013 Joe Keohane. “How facts backfire: Researchers discover a surprising threat to democracy: our brains.” Boston.com, 11 Jun 2010 |
|
|
September 8 & 10 |
Labs |
Searching publication |
No readings |
|
|
September 15 |
Lecture |
Covert operations |
Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt. “ISIS Official Killed in U.S. Raid in Syria, Pentagon Says.” New York Times, 16 May 2015 Ian Henderson. “Chapter 4 - Civilian Intelligence Agencies and the Use of Armed Drones.” Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law 13, (2010): 133-173 |
|
|
September 15 & 17 |
Labs |
The news in different languages |
No readings |
|
|
September 22 |
Lecture |
TECHINT |
David E. Sanger and William J. Broad “Atomic Labs Across the U.S. Race to Stop Iran.” New York Times, 21 April 2015 G. C. Marshall, Robert H. Dunlop, and Arredondo, David , Depositor, "Shipment of Captured Materiel to the United States for Intelligence Purposes" (1945). US Army Research. Paper 171. |
|
|
September 22 & 24 |
Labs |
Social media |
Jay Caspian Kang. “Should Reddit Be Blamed for the Spreading of a Smear?” New York Times, 25 Jul 2013 |
|
|
September 29 |
Lecture |
SIGINT—COMINT |
Mahsa Alimardani and Frederic Jacobs. “New Research: Iran is Using ‘Intelligent’ Censorship on Instagram.” GlobalVoicesOnline.org, 7 May 2015 Ellen Nakashima. “U.S. appeals court: No warrant needed for stored cellphone location data.” Washington Post, 5 May 2015 |
|
|
September 29 & October 1 |
Labs |
Search engines and operators |
Katherine Noyes, “The FTC is worried about algorithmic transparency, and you should be too.” Computerworld, 9 April 2015 Nicole Perlroth and David E. Sanger. “U.S. Embedded Spyware Overseas, Report Claims.” New York Times, 16 February 2015 |
|
|
October 6 |
Lecture |
SIGINT—ELINT Electronic Warfare and Cyberwar |
Richard L. Bernard. Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) at NSA. Washington, DC: Center for Cryptologic History, NSA, 2009 David E. Sanger. “Document Reveals Growth of Cyberwarfare Between the U.S. and Iran.” New York Times, 22 February 2015 |
|
|
October 6 & 8 |
Labs |
Exam |
Search Exam |
|
|
October 13 |
Lecture |
Platforms & MASINT |
Aaron Chia Eng Seng. “MASINT: The Intelligence of the Future.” DSTA Horizons, 2007. |
|
|
October 13 & 15 |
Labs |
GEOINT Search |
No readings |
|
|
October 20 |
Lecture |
GEOINT & IMINT |
Mirielle M. Petitjean. “Intelligence Support to Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance.” Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies 19, No. 3 (Winter/Spring 2013): 57-60 Robert E. Dupré. “Guide to Imagery Intelligence.” Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies 18, No. 2 (Winter/Spring 2011): 61-63 |
|
|
October 20 & 22 |
Labs |
Searching the Internet of Things |
No readings |
|
|
October 27 |
Lecture |
HUMINT |
Christoph Reuter. “The Terror Strategist: Secret Files Reveal the Structure of Islamic State.” Spiegel Online International, 18 April 2015 Thomas Hegghammer. “Why Terrorists Weep: The Socio-Cultural Practices of Jihadi Militants.” Paul Wilkinson Memorial Lecture, University of St. Andrews, 16 April 2015 |
|
|
October 27 & 29 |
Labs |
Cyber Covert Operations |
Gary D. Brown and Andrew O. Metcalf. “Easier Said Than Done: Legal Reviews of Cyber Weapons.” Journal of National Security Law & Policy 7, no. 2 (2014): 115-138 |
|
|
November 3 |
Lecture |
Are my devices spying on me? |
Josh Gerstein. “Who Watches The Watchers? Big Data Goes Unchecked.” Politico, 14 May 2014 Neda Ulaby . “Technology Transforms TV Ratings And Ad Sales.” Morning Edition, NPR 16 Sep 2013 James Ball. “Xbox Live Among Game Services Targeted by US and UK Spy Agencies.” The Guardian, 9 December 2013 Edward Wyatt . “F.T.C. Says Webcam’s Flaw Put Users’ Lives on Display.” New York Times 4 Sep 2013 Mark Stockley. “Is your smartphone broadcasting your movements when you shop?” Naked Security 25 Oct 2013 |
|
|
November 3 & 5 |
Labs |
INT Review |
INT Review |
|
|
November 10 |
Lecture |
Exam |
Intelligence Community & INT Exam |
|
|
November 10 & 12 |
Labs |
Keeping secrets secret |
Singh, Simon, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor, 1999. Read pages 1-44 (Introduction, The Cipher of Mary Queen of Scots) |
|
|
November 17 |
Lecture |
Keeping secrets secret |
Singh, Simon, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor, 1999. Read pages 45-100 (Le Chiffre Indéchiffrable) |
|
|
November 17 & 18 |
Labs |
Keeping secrets secret |
Singh, Simon, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor, 1999. Read pages 101-142 (The Mechanization of Secrecy) |
|
|
November 24 & 26 |
No class |
THANKSGIVING |
No readings No assignments No exams |
|
|
December 1
|
Lecture |
Keeping secrets secret |
Singh, Simon, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor, 1999. Read pages 143-190 (Cracking the Enigma) |
|
|
December 1 & 3 |
Labs |
Keeping secrets secret |
Singh, Simon, The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. New York: Anchor, 1999. Read pages 191-242 (The Language Barrier) |
|
|
December 8 |
Lecture |
Keeping secrets secret |
Cryptography Review |
|
|
December 8 & 10 |
Labs |
Exam |
Cryptography Exam |
|
|
Week of December 14 |
|
Finals Week |
FINAL PAPER DUE Monday, Dec 14 |
|