Writing a good spy report is not as easy as it looks. You need more than a copy of Strunk & White's manual, The Elements of Style. You need the National Security Agency (NSA) SIGINT Reporter's Style and Usage Manual!
Did you know...
• In nautical contexts in SIGINT reports, do not call a ship a boat. As a general guideline, a boat will go on a ship, but not vice versa. Lifeboats go on cruise ships. Submarines are boats. Most of the literate public, however, uses the term boat to refer to any floating contrivance of any size. Such use is standard in general contexts, but not appropriate in SIGINT reports.
• Do not use the terms A-bomb or H-bomb. Spell out the words. Do not capitalize atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, etc.
• Never include obscenities in a report. If an obscenity is part of a quote, replace it with the phrase ((expletive deleted)).
• PDDG ... (Sorry, that's still classified.)
