Words of Intelligence - (Security and Professional Intelligence Education) 2nd Edition by Jan Goldman (Paperback)

About the Book

The number of terms, abbreviations, and acronyms has more than doubled for this new edition, and it includes a topical index and extensively cross-referenced entries. This book explains terms that relate to intelligence operations, intelligence strategies, security classificat...

Book Synopsis

Words of Intelligence: An Intelligence Professional's Lexicon for Domestic and Foreign Threats is intended for the intelligence and national security men and women at the federal, state, and local levels. The intelligence community has undergone massive changes since it developed after World War II. Intelligence work now involves several different processes, including the planning, collection, analysis, and production of information. It also requires extensive expertise in its terminology. And in the post-9/11 era, the intelligence community has expanded, requiring the transmission of information to state and local public administrators, health officials, and transportation planners in times of a possible domestic attack. The number of people who need to know the specialized terminology of the intelligence community continues to grow. This dictionary is an invaluable tool for those requiring a working knowledge of intelligence-related issues from both a foreign intelligence perspective and a local perspective for law enforcement officials.

The number of terms, abbreviations, and acronyms has more than doubled for this new edition, and it includes a topical index and extensively cross-referenced entries. This book explains terms that relate to intelligence operations, intelligence strategies, security classifications, obscure names of intelligence boards and organizations, and methodologies used to produce intelligence analysis. Both entry-level and experienced intelligence professionals in the domestic and foreign intelligence communities find this book useful. This book is more than just a reference book; it is a book to read and enjoy, and from which to learn the art and science of intelligence analysis.

Review Quotes

Goldman, author of The Ethics of Spying (Scarecrow Press, 2009) and numerous other articles, presents to the reader a unique and valuable tool in Words of Intelligence: An Intelligence Professional's Lexicon for Domestic and Foreign Threats. Besides being easy to use and helpful, it is greatly expanded in this 2d edition. The author also describes it as "an invaluable tool for those requiring a working knowledge of intelligence-related issues from a foreign-intelligence perspective as well as law enforcement officials who need a local perspective." Arranged alphabetically with over 700 entries, this dictionary also has abbreviations and acronyms and a new topical index. It also has a solid list of cross-references and a list of "essential intelligence websites." This resource is well researched, easy to use, and affordable, making it highly recommended.


Most of the entries, of which there are hundreds, have notations about the source of the word or phrase. The book also has a helpful acronym list several hundred items long. Included are a topical index and a list of essential Web sites. Most of these sites seem to be of a permanent nature, which is good. ... Recommended.

About the Author

Jan Goldman has been both an analyst and educator in the U.S. intelligence community for almost 30 years. He is the founding editor of the International Journal of Intelligence Ethics, and the founding editor of the Scarecrow Professional Intelligence Education Series (SPIES). His previous publications include Words of Intelligence: A Dictionary and Ethics of Spying: A Reader for the Intelligence Professional (2 volumes). He holds a doctorate in education from George Washington University and is an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University.