Analysis II

(a) Program Evaluation

Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer basic questions about projects, policies and programs^[1]. Program evaluation is used in the public and private sector and is taught in numerous universities. Evaluation became particularly relevant in the U.S. in the 1960s during the period of the Great Society social programs associated with the Kennedy and Johnson administrations^[2][3]. Extraordinary sums were invested in social programs, but the impacts of these investments were largely unknown.

Program evaluations can involve quantitative methods of social research or qualitative methods or both. People who do program evaluation come from many different backgrounds: sociology, psychology, economics, social work. Some graduate schools also have specific training programs for program evaluation.

(b) Logic Model

 The logic model is a general framework for describing work in an organization. Since work is often packaged in programs, it is often referred to as the program logic model.

In its simplest form, the logic model analyzes work into four categories or steps: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. These represent the logical flow from:

1. inputs (resources such as money, employees, and equipment) to
2. work activities, programs or processes, to
3. the immediate outputs of the work that are delivered to customers, to
4. outcomes or results that are the long-term consequences of delivering outputs.

The basic logic model typically is displayed in a diagram such as this:

INPUTS –> ACTIVITIES OR PROCESSES –> OUTPUTS –> OUTCOMES

Analysis I

(a) Intelligence analysis

Intelligence Analysis is the process of taking known information about situations and entities of strategic, operational, or tactical importance, characterizing the known, and, with appropriate statements of probability, the future actions in those situations and by those entities. The descriptions are drawn from what may only be available in the form of deliberately deceptive information; the analyst must correlate the similarities among deceptions and extract a common truth. Although its practice is found in its purest form inside intelligence agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the United States or the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, MI6) in the UK, its methods are also applicable in fields such as business intelligence or competitive intelligence.

(b) Policy analysis

Policy analysis can be defined as “determining which of various alternative policies will most achieve a given set of goals in light of the relations between the policies and the goals” ^[1]. However, policy analysis can be divided into two major fields. Analysis of policy is analytical and descriptive — i.e., it attempts to explain policies and their development. Analysis for policy is prescriptive — i.e., it is involved with formulating policies and proposals (e.g., to improve social welfare)^[2]. The area of interest and the purpose of analysis determines what type of analysis is conducted. A combination of policy analysis together with program evaluation would be defined as Policy studies.^[3]

Cryptology I

(a) Oliver Pell on Cryptology

A useful introduction to cryptography and cryptanalysis and a good place to start the study of the subject and get familiar with terms and concepts useful to practice.

(b) The Cryptology Independent Study Project

“This project is intended to fill a void in the area of cryptologic study and research. There are many universities with programs in computer science and mathematics that fail to address the area of cryptology. This is, perhaps, not the most surprising trend, but it does leave those of us who are genuinely interesting in the area with nowhere to turn. Our hopes are that this project will help fill this void, and that we can grow a community based on our common interest and love for making and breaking codes.”