Investigative Report Writing: A Field Study

Abstract

The report examines the typical written communications contained in personnel security investigations (PSIs). Over 120 PSI reports were examined to develop discourse style; special agents were interviewed and observed to determine their report-writing techniques; and a sample of adjudicators (the readers of PSIs) were interviewed and observed to determine the perceptual and information processing of PSIs. The results suggest that document design, report organization, and perception of reader audience can affect adjudication processing of PSIs. The report recommends further empirical research to determine ways of improving document design and organization, and developing stylistic strategies that improve adjudicators; ability to absorb and quickly comprehend PSIs. (sdw)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA222330

Entities

People

  • James E. Suchan

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Cognition
  • Computers
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Hard Copy
  • Information Processing
  • Instructors
  • Language
  • Literature Surveys
  • Observation
  • Perception
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Standards
  • Students
  • Urban Areas

Fields of Study

  • Education

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Pavement Materials Engineering.
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.