"Read" Like an Analyst

One of the first things I explain to new student analysts is that “Read" Like an Analyst (RLA) is very different than reading a novel on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

In technical analysis, metadata is critical – data that describes other data. We explain to students that understanding the biases and purpose of the writers of a product is essentially non-technical oriented metadata. Therefore, whenever we assign student analysts articles to read as part of RLA training, we challenge them to consciously consider not just what is written, but on who, where, when, etc., as well as consider what other cultural norms and contexts may add value to their understanding.

The most important questions we challenge students to always ask is: "Why did the author write said piece, and what does the author want the reader to take away from it?"

There is not much more to share on RLA. Once students are told what to look for, it just takes practice and constant vigilance to not take things at face value.

Example Lesson

We have found that North Korean (NK) official statements are a great resource for teaching entry-level RLA due to… well its North Korea. Its extreme anti-US bias, constant reference to historical events (i.e. Korean War, Japan Occupation, etc), hilariously poor mastery of the English language, and cherry picking of news events lend itself well as an intro-level example of what can be gained by RLA.

One of the first things students often remark on is how little information NK releases to the public, followed closely by appreciating how my homeboy Kim Jong Un’s name is in almost every article. We have students brainstorm on what their observations suggest about NK: poor information technology infrastructure, tight control of information, questionable translators, obsession with the Kim Jong family, etc.

Students generally find it amusing. We encourage it to a certain extent – not because NK shouldn’t be taken seriously, but because it makes it a more interesting and memorable entry-level RLA lesson. 

We often follow this lesson with a soul-crushing documentary that shows life inside NK to introduce students to the horrifying harsh oppression its people endure. It’s an easy way to make them appreciate what we have in the U.S.