Information Gathering and Vetting Course

Lesson 1 • Planning a Collection Strategy

Introduces structured planning before any collection activity. Students draft a basic collection plan aligned to a defined information requirement.

Lesson 2 • Ethical and Legal Boundaries

Defines the ethical obligations and regulatory constraints governing collection. Students apply a decision framework to determine permissible gathering methods.

Lesson 3 • Core Concepts and Terminology

Establishes shared vocabulary for the entire course. Students distinguish raw data from intelligence and understand how terminology shapes collection decisions.

Lesson 1 • Digital Operational Security

Covers tools and practices that minimise digital exposure during collection. Students configure a secure research environment for open source operations.

Lesson 2 • Information Handling and Compartmentalisation

Establishes protocols for limiting information access to those with a need to know. Students design a compartmentalisation scheme for a multi-team operation.

Lesson 3 • Physical and Personnel Security

Addresses physical risks to collectors and their sources. Students apply surveillance detection and counter-surveillance techniques in scenario exercises.

Lesson 1 • Public Records and Databases

Surveys categories of publicly available records and how to access them. Students locate and extract relevant data from government and institutional repositories.

Lesson 2 • Social Media Intelligence

Teaches systematic collection from social platforms while respecting platform terms. Students build subject profiles using publicly visible social data.

Lesson 3 • Search Engine Optimisation for Research

Covers advanced query construction to maximise relevant results. Students apply Boolean operators and search filters to reduce noise in open source searches.

Lesson 4 • Documenting and Citing Open Sources

Establishes standards for recording and attributing open source findings. Students produce a documented source log that supports downstream vetting.

Lesson 1 • Detecting Deception and Inconsistency

Covers behavioural and linguistic indicators of unreliable statements. Students identify inconsistencies and apply follow-up strategies to clarify discrepancies.

Lesson 2 • Elicitation Techniques

Introduces indirect questioning methods that surface information naturally. Students apply elicitation tactics in simulated conversations.

Lesson 3 • Rapport Building and Communication

Teaches verbal and nonverbal techniques that encourage candid responses. Students practise active listening and adaptive communication styles.

Lesson 4 • Interview Planning and Preparation

Covers pre-interview research and question design. Students prepare a structured interview guide tailored to a specific information requirement.

Lesson 1 • Financial Record Interpretation

Covers reading and analysing financial statements for informational value. Students identify red flags such as unexplained transactions or inconsistent figures.

Lesson 2 • Corporate and Organisational Records

Surveys the types of records organisations generate and their informational value. Students trace ownership structures and identify key decision-makers from filings.

Lesson 3 • Cross-Referencing Multiple Documents

Teaches systematic comparison of documents to surface contradictions. Students build a cross-reference matrix to reconcile conflicting data points.

Lesson 1 • Visualising and Presenting Network Data

Covers tools and conventions for communicating network findings clearly. Students produce a network diagram suitable for a professional briefing.

Lesson 2 • Communication Pattern Analysis

Teaches analysis of communication metadata to reveal behavioural patterns. Students interpret frequency, timing, and directionality of communications.

Lesson 3 • Dark Web and Closed Network Awareness

Provides an operational overview of non-indexed networks and their relevance. Students identify when closed network investigation is warranted and its risks.

Lesson 4 • Network and Relationship Mapping

Introduces graph-based methods for visualising connections between entities. Students build a relationship map identifying key nodes and influence pathways.

Lesson 1 • Verification Frameworks and Standards

Introduces structured models for systematically verifying claims. Students select and apply an appropriate verification framework to a given information set.

Lesson 2 • Producing a Vetted Intelligence Report

Synthesises vetting skills into a formal written product. Students draft a confidence-rated report that clearly separates verified facts from unconfirmed claims.

Lesson 3 • Corroboration and Triangulation

Teaches multi-source confirmation as the foundation of reliable vetting. Students triangulate claims across independent sources to establish factual confidence.

Lesson 4 • Analytical Bias and Cognitive Traps

Identifies cognitive biases that distort vetting judgments. Students apply structured analytic techniques to counteract confirmation bias and groupthink.

Lesson 1 • After-Action Review and Lessons Learned

Formalises reflection on the project to extract transferable lessons. Students produce a personal improvement plan based on identified skill gaps.

Lesson 2 • Executing a Multi-Source Collection

Guides students through a supervised live collection exercise using multiple source types. Students manage source conflicts and gaps in real time.

Lesson 3 • Vetting and Analysing Collected Data

Students apply the full vetting framework to data gathered in the collection exercise. Contradictions and gaps are resolved using structured analytic methods.

Lesson 4 • Producing and Briefing the Final Report

Students draft, review, and present a professional intelligence report to a panel. Feedback addresses analytical rigour, clarity, and operational security compliance.