• Home
• About

Subscribe

What is Algebra?

Algebra is one of the three wings of mathematics, the other two being arithmetic and geometry. While most of the common calculations done are though arithmetic and geometry, algebra plays a crucial role in exemplifying the abstract and unknown entity.

Algebra is derived from two words “al-gbr” which is Arabic in origin. Al-Khwarizmi born and brought up in Baghdad the capital of Iraq was a great mathematician and a renowned astronomer of his time around 789 A.D., is known in contemporary mathematics world as the father of algebra. However Babylonian legend promulgates us that the word algebra was in some form present in form of algorithms, linear and quadratic equations were frequently used to calculate the production of grains, position of stars and other forms of estimates. ‘Al-Jabr wa-al-Muqabilah’ was perhaps the first book to be written on algebra in the later stages algebra got due attention from the famous English scientist Sir Isaac Newton in his book Arithmetica Universalis.

Two most famous forms of algebra commonly used are

1) General form of quadratic equation

Ax2 + bx +c=0

2) A,b,c are variables and x is a constant

General form of linear equation

Ax+by+c=0

The basic terms used in algebra in the contemporary education system are x,y,z and a,b,c. Algebra uses a number of different sets of equations such as linear equations and quadratic equations.

Algebra uses same standard sets of operational addition multiplication division and subtractions as in arithmetic. However the integer’s multiplications are different and can be comprehended with an example,

Let “a” be a number which has to be multiplied by a negative integer “-b” the outcome will be a negative “-ab”

Similarly a negative integer “-a” when multiplied by a negative integer “-b” the result being a positive “ab”.

The key being a negative and a negative will give a positive result, a positive and a negative will give a negative result and a positive integer when multiplied by a positive one will give a positive outcome.

While dealing with algebraic abstracts all the signs used in arithmetic and geometrical mathematic can be used but for multiplications {[( )]} instead of ‘X’ are used / is for division + for addition and – for sub traction. The entities within the brackets must be solved and opened in the order of hierarchy {[(.

Algebra is extensively used in deriving theorems such as in integration and calculus where dx/dy is one of the popular ones in order to calculate the propagation of numbers.

The algebraic equations find their way not only in the field of mathematics but also in other subjects as well like physics biology and chemistry. In fact all the major equations are based on algebraic formulae and assumptions. For example

E=mc2 the famous Einstein equation is also a product of algebraic assessment.

Algebra is a calculated way to derive equations for different purposes which can calculate the exact outcome from a tiny entity to a maximum infinite entity. In many ways algebra exemplifies a holistic approach to a calculation unlike its other two counterparts which are limited to a lengthy singular derivation process. Algebra cuts short the tedious derivative process of calculation to single formulae where you can just fill up the blanks and derive the actual outcome without going into a much tedious process of derivations.

Ashraf Afghani is proud to have learnt Algebra early in his childhood. He was able to understand the basics of Algebra at a very young age. He believes that algebra can be taught with ease if misunderstandings and confusion are eliminated and taught with good examples.

Rock-Solid Consistency Makes For a Rock-Solid Instrumentalist

There is nothing like the thrill of getting your first bicycle. This is the first taste of freedom that you have in your life and may be an even bigger rite of passage that your first car. As young kids we are more likely to develop bad and unsafe cycling habits than if we started riding as adults. Adults are generally aware of traffic laws and have been driving automobiles for quite some time. Therefore they are more safety conscious. It is important when giving your child their first bike or their first lesson that you impress upon them the importance of bicycle safety.

Kids love music (as do adults), however, it is important not to use headphones while riding a bicycle. Because you are so exposed to outside influences, you need to be entirely conscious of what is going on around you. Wearing earphones prevents you from hearing cars approaching or anyone communicating with you. You should be fully alert to all vehicles moving around you, any pedestrians that may be nearby and animals must also be watched as the sometimes dart at bicycles. Be aware of cars leaving their driveways when you are cycling through side streets. While they will not be traveling very fast, they can still do a great deal of damage to you and your bike and they may not be able to see you depending on how close they are to the street (and the size of their vehicle). Also keep an eye on the road surface, changes or challenges you may face will affect you much more than they would in a motor vehicle.

Communication is incredibly important when riding. Keep in mind that motorists need to know exactly what you plan to do just as much as you need to know their next move. Since your bike doesn’t come equipped with directionals like a car, you must know the signals of the road. A left turn is shown by extending your left hand and arm horizontally on the side of the bicycle. A right turn is your right hand and arm extended horizontally, if you need to stop or slow down suddenly extend your left hand and arm downward beyond the side of the bicycle. If you impress upon them, just how dangerous riding can be if they don’t do it safely, they will have a better understanding of how serious safety is.

Make sure you little rider has the appropriate safety gear as well. This includes helmets, eye protection and reflective clothing so they can be easily seen by drivers no matter what time of day they ride. They may fight you on this as helmets and eye protection may not “look cool”, but stay strong. Keeping your child safe is the momst important thing that you do for them as they grow. They will thank you later when they enter into adulthood in good shape, with smart habits and good skills. Following these safety precautions will ensure that your child is as safe as possible and has tons of fun!

Mike Dire is an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. He is also a partner in an online bike carrier store.

Quantum Physicist Proves the Existence of the Law of Attraction

Dr. Eric Amidi, in his newest book, shares the scientific aspects behind the movie, The Secret and he does it from the premise of quantum physics.

While the law of attraction has been around since before the world began, most people only found out about it when Rhonda Bryne shared her vision of the Secret beginning in 2006.

That movie swept the world with its message and it is still going strong today with over 20 million viewers. But what the movie doesn’t tell you is the actual ‘how-to’ of making the law of attraction work in your own life. It glosses over the ask-believe-receive aspects as well as the taking action parts of using the law of attraction.

It also doesn’t tell you that this secret is not a secret at all, except maybe to the Judeo-Christian world. The secret has long been known by keepers of some of the most ancient text in the world, from the mountains of Tibet, to the archaeologists of Egypt and the scholars of the ancient Coptic and Gnostic texts.

The movie, The Secret, fails to share with you the divine trinity of its premises—that thought married as emotion expressed as feeling through your heart energy center (known as a chakra in ancient texts) creates your experiences. But Dr. Eric Amidi does just that in his newest book.

If you find yourself one of those people who can’t seem to wrap themselves around this all too “feel-good” ask-believe-receive stuff of the movie the Secret, maybe it’s time for you to look at it from the scientific aspect.

Dr. Amidi says that there are only two ‘types of people’ in this life:

1) Those who Master The Secret and Apply it (Winners of the game of life!)

2) The rest, including those who think the secret is about just visualizing and daydreaming

Even if you do know about the power of “The Secret” and other manifestation techniques, you might not be getting all you can out of them. In fact, most people give up trying to attract what they want in a few short weeks or months. When they don’t see the results they’re looking for, they throw the baby out with the bath water.

The funny thing is, you can be using the techniques of the law of attraction without even realizing you are. That is why you meet highly successful people, and some not-so-highly successful people—and here’s something I bet you didn’t know—both these types of people are using the law of attraction. Everyone does. Even you!

How many times have you wondered when real change would happen in your life? You don’t have to wonder anymore!

Dr. Amidi was part of a group of scientists working at the Fermi National Laboratory in 1995 who discovered Top Quark, the last subatomic particle. His many years of research in quantum physics, philosophy, and spirituality led him to create this book.

As quantum physics tells us, and this is evidenced in real scientific experiments, the reality of the universe out there is NOT independent of your views. In other words, the universe OUT THERE exists BECAUSE of your viewpoint.

This is why it can be said that YOU create your reality. It’s simple scientific fact.

Laurie Brenner is author of Changing Planes, a metaphysical fiction, and the Little Book of Becoming-The Primer to Living Inside Out. To find out more about Dr. Amidi’s book, visit: Master The Secret

The Complete Guide to Freemasonry - Freemason Secrets

Depending on how active the Masons are that live within your area will most likely determine how familiar you are with them. They are sometimes called Masons or Freemasons. Their fraternity as they like to call it is called the Masonry or Freemasonry.

It is not a new organization and its known roots go back to the 1700’s and probably beyond that. There has also been said that the Masons are a very secretive organization and it would seem that there are never two identical explanations about exactly whom they are, or what they stand for. In their short-term explanation, they will tell you that they adhere to rigid moral values and standards. They constantly strive for the betterment of themselves as a group of men who simply formed an organization. They strengthen each other in their beliefs by fellowship, which is what their meetings are for.

So if Freemasonry seems to be something that many people are familiar with why is it dubbed a secret society? It’s true they don’t hide the fact that they exist. In fact, they have temples or Lodges as they are most often called around most of the world. In addition, they are very active within their communities by way of charities. The secrecy they are accredited with is in regards to what goes on behind closed doors at their meetings. They would appear for the most appear to almost be sworn to an oath of secrecy and no member is allowed to discuss the specifics of what takes place at their meeting.

The members will admit that they are some things that are kept secret like what goes on at their meeting and their secret handshakes. Then there is a secret password one has to use to gain entrance. The masons don’t find this unusual as they say that many facilities have codes that must be used to gain entrance. While this is true, that’s normally applied to places for top security reasons. Therefore, what goes on at the Masons meetings that require security by way of password? Perhaps nothing, but this is where people have built their beliefs on the Masons being a secret society.

As mentioned there are organized Masons in many parts of the world. It is apparent that there are variations according the Lodges but it is said they all stand for the basic concept or charter of the society. This could explain why different Masons will tell you different things about what goes on in their meetings.

The basics of the freemasons must remain the same. They are all subject to the same oaths, which are universal as well as the rituals. The entire structure is based on the rules dating back to the time of the stone Masons who had their own groups or guilds as they were called them. These rules have withstood the passage of time for the most part and are called the Ancient Charges. It is believed that the duty of the stonemasons was to literally build foundations and this concept is that the Freemasons are now building the foundation of their members through teachings and expectations. They use the tools that the stonemasons did for their building as teaching aids in their present day meetings. This is done by way of various rituals that are carried out at specific times.

The expectations that the Masons put upon their members is that they must display brotherly love and respect towards their fellow members. They must all be treated equally and their must be strong trust amongst which resorts back to the secrecy issues.

One interpretation of the structure of the free masons is that their Lodges are headed by a Master Mason who utilizes assistants called warden. The criteria of becoming a Master consists of having high morals and possess the mental capabilities that the position demands. On his way to achieving this title, he must participate in various rituals.

All Masons must acknowledge a supreme being but remembering the Freemasons emphatically state they are not a religious organization. Every member may choose to practice any religion they so choose.

As mentioned depending on the Lodge some of their structure may change but the basics must remain the same.

Discover the *ancient secrets* of freemasonry at: http://www.SecretsofMasons.com SecretsofMasons has over 120 rare freemasonary books with over 25,000 pages of illustrations, symbols and manuscripts from the masonic templar. Be among the rare few to own this highly-exclusive ancient secrets book collection today!

Teaching English to Young Learners

Whether you enjoy working with children or not, it is likely that you’ll find yourself teaching this age group at some point in your TEFL career.

They can be difficult and challenging but they can also be the most enthusiastic and rewarding students you’ll ever have the pleasure of teaching.

Here are some main pointers:

Keep lessons fun, lively and simple. It is a good idea to use a project based approach so one theme is revisited over a series of lessons. By teaching this way, the vocabulary is reinforced and repeated but still remains interesting.

If you’re teaching very young children, variety is of utmost importance. Lots of short, simple activities are best suited to their attention span. Learning aims should be kept basic and you should try to incorporate plenty of child-friendly practice tasks that allow them to practise the target language repeatedly.

When getting your students to practise their English, try to incorporate things that young children enjoy doing generally. Things such as singing, playing games and colouring in etc. Just remember to be creative and more importantly, allow the children to be creative. Using songs and chanting is particularly good for teaching things like numbers and the alphabet. In fact, one of the best things about teaching younger children (under 10) is that they are generally less reserved about using another language so they will tend to speak quite early on.

You must always remember to keep the lessons appealing. You could even adapt existing exercises to make them more child-friendly. The possibilities are endless - just be creative. Make a note of methods that are particularly successful so that you can use them again for different topics.

Though it might seem like a good idea to use English children’s magazines or comics for your class, it’s really not. Most of this material, with perhaps the exception of really basic comics, will be unsuitable for your foreign students. Furthermore, always remember that there will be various culture issues to consider and you certainly don’t want to get yourself or your students in trouble. It is much better to use course books and resources specifically designed for young foreign learners of English. These kinds of book are fun and engaging and your students will be able to take much more from them. Having said this, you do not need to follow these books rigidly - in fact it’s probably better that you don’t. That way you’ll be able to make sure you are teaching the relevant material but in a way that allows you to keep the lessons interesting and appropriate for your class.

Also remember that, although young children may not be reading and writing much, it is a good idea to provide them with the written form of any vocabulary introduced. Only do this when appropriate though as the main aim is too keep the lessons fun. A good way of doing this is the use of pre-written vocabulary cards, perhaps even with simple pictures on. This will allow you to have a reference for later use and will help engage the children, gradually familiarising them with the written form of the word.

Finally, be sure to use plenty of revision tasks on a regular basis. These can be implemented in various ways such as games or quizzes - again with the emphasis on learning through fun.

Catherine Luff ? From Online TEFL courses to Teaching English abroad is the perfect opportunity for any English speaker to explore the world. Whether you?re a trained teacher or a complete beginner, a TEFL qualification is your ticket for the journey of your life. For interviews, images or comments contact: Catherine Luff Marketing & PR Email: catherine.luff@i-to-i.com http://www.onlinetefl.com

How to Become a Freemason - Joining the Freemasonry Masonic Lodge

There are many thoughts when it comes to determining just what the Freemasons is all about and even on how to become one. They are well known for their secrecy and this in a sense makes some individuals very uncomfortable. Some say you can only become a member by being invited while others stipulate that you must have a family member that is a Freemason before you yourself can become one.

It is the policy of the Freemasons not to recruit therefore they will never ask anyone to joint their organization. An interested party must approach them. Becoming a Mason is not an unrecognizable goal but there is certain criteria that you must meet before you will even be considered.

It is an absolute must that you believe in God, whereas many masons will not refer to him as God but will use the term you must believe in a Supreme Being. In the majority of countries, the age requirement is twenty-one but if one happens to be the son of Freemason then the age requirement is reduced to eighteen.

Another criterion is that you must be a person of good standing. You will be tested in this area when you go before the Freemasons examining board. They will ask you about your history and about your life in general. Their decisions will be based on your answers. The concept of the Freemasons according to their charter is to make good men better. There are no women allowed in this organization. Once passed your board examination your request to join will be put to a vote. Each member of that particular chapter is given the chance to vote regarding your membership.

If it turns out that, you are not voted in then that doesn’t mean that you can’t apply again but there is a waiting period. If on the other hand you are accepted then you are in for an experience. You will find that they have rituals that are full of metaphors and allegory. This is there way of teaching their lessons.

It’s not suggested that you try to join the Freemasons just out of curiosity. If these are your reasons most likely, they will be detected at the board examination and you will fail anyway. Try to find out as much as possible about them before applying. Perhaps you know of a Mason that will point you in the right direction.

One interesting point you are going to discover when you start your research is that there is much conflicting information. It has been said that is because the Freemasons are such a secretive society that nobody is allowed to talk about the inner workings of it. If this is the case then how can one really discern what they are all about and make an informed decision as to whether to apply for membership.

In addition, it would seem that there are different orders of Freemasons. If you have one in particular that you want to join then perhaps you need to find out if they are in fact a full Freemason organization or just an offshoot.

Discover the *ancient secrets* of freemasonry at: http://www.SecretsofMasons.com SecretsofMasons has over 120 rare freemasonry books with over 25,000 pages of illustrations, symbols and manuscripts from the masonic templar. Be among the rare few to own this highly-exclusive ancient secrets book collection today!

Online or On-Campus Business Education Benefits

Education is a requirement in almost every country in the world, and there are many countries in the world where it is but a dream to be able to obtain any form of education. Many of our younger generations would do well to recognize this fact. Fortunately however there is a huge portion of the world’s population that does understand the need for education and desire it.

A sector of those willing to learn relates to the business education field. This is an ever expanding area and deciding on your choice of business education is not always easy from the outset. However learning doesn’t ever have to stop. A desire to learn is all you need to pursue your education options, and of course the course fees. However the biggest part of gaining a business education, or any education for that matter, is desire.

There are a variety of options available for learning from online business education training to local area training facilities. Good business schools will prepare their students giving the training and skills in such areas as finance and accounting, business planning, leadership and management skills, communication skills, conflict resolution and stress management, marketing and sales, project management, business strategies to name just a few areas. A comprehensive business education training portfolio should include all of the above and more. It is often during the course of this training that students will choose a specialty and receive further training on any one or more of the specific areas being covered.

Having a good business education is essential to be present in today’s global marketplace however not everyone has the opportunity to place a full time emphasis on gaining this education. There are alternatives such as online education that allow those willing to learn to gain their required education but being able to do this in their own time and from their own homes. A little research into the options available online will ensure that all those who think they do not have the time required that there are ways if they are serious about their intention to obtain a higher level or even basic level of business education.

One concern with online education is the ability to motivate and this can be a problem for some students when choosing to learn online. Online colleges do offer a great deal of flexibility with their study time and course completion requirements but a high focus on dedication and overall enthusiasm is required of business students. The online colleges and universities offer business degree options that often exceeded those found in campus-based schools. Therefore if you consider yourself to have the necessary motivation and discipline but lack the time to attend a full time on-campus form of education then online business schools may be the best option to improve your career prospects.

For those that have the daily time to offer there are also a variety of schools that will offer this full comprehensive business education with a wide selection of programs and specific courses to choose from. There are so many areas where a business education can lead such as office administration, legal or paralegal office admin, administrative assisting the list is almost endless. Most of these schools, online and otherwise, will offer an International Business component. This gives the students the opportunity to obtain professional certification or business degrees for specific areas of interest such as marketing, finance, human resources, economics etc.

For those wishing to use their degree or certification for further employment overseas then a consideration relating to language classes is also an option that should not be overlooked. Those applicants for global positions that having training in a specific language both written and spoken rate very highly with prospective international employers regardless of which country it is they are seeking employment.

Graduates of online or on-campus business education courses gain communication, analytical and technological abilities that are needed when seeking to obtain entry-level positions in the business fields and the major part of the requirement to succeed is personal motivation and determination. If you think this might be you then what are you waiting for?

Michiel Van Kets operates a successful Online Business focusing on tips and tools for SEO. One of the tips he promotes for his customers is the use of directory submissions. Michiel himself submits articles to Abso-Bloody-Lutely, a Business Education Directory as he understands the important of directory submissions to his own business.

Online Master’s Degree - Increasing Your Competitive Advantage

Get the edge on others with a online master’s degree program

Ever wondered why everyone else seems to be getting the promotions, while you’re stuck with the same job and same salary? Have you heard rumors about possible cutbacks in your department and fear a job loss? The current downturned economy has caused many problems for people in the workforce. A strong defense is to make yourself an employee that’s invaluable. You can do this by furthering your bachelor’s education the easy convenient way by getting a master’s degree online.

Online Master’s degree programs are offered in a variety of program courses. Regardless of what your interests may be, you’ll be sure to find a master’s degree online program that fits into your goals and lifestyle. Whether you’ve already decided you want to go back to school or are considering college for the first time, check out the many available master’s degree programs online that best suits your interest and career. You’ll suddenly have the edge on the other employees at work with your new designation or degree. Your boss and the management team will start to see you in a new light, realizing what an asset you are to the company.

What types of master’s degree online programs are available?

You’ll be happy to hear that there are a wide variety of courses and subjects you can pursue to earn your master’s degree online. While your best advantage would be to pursue fields that seem to always have job security such as security, health care, law enforcement or education, there are new programs available in areas of computer security, IT, project management and more. Once you find an accredited master’s degree online program, you’ll have access to counselors that can give you all the information you need and help you make a career selection based on your interests, location and overall career goals.

Benefits of master’s degree programs online

The internet is playing a large part in our lives today. More and more you’re hearing people say they’ve earned their bachelor’s or master’s degree online. Master degree online programs offer you the opportunity to pursue an education while still working and not taking away time from your family. They offer programs and courses that are flexible and affordable. If you’re already on a budget, earning your master’s degree online is still very attainable. Many of the master degree programs online also offer financial aid so education is something everyone can afford.

The next time you hear rumors of possible job cuts, you’ll have the security of knowing that you’re trained to work in more than just one job. If you are forced to look for employment elsewhere, you’ll have a degree to show a potential employer and give you an edge in your profession.

Mary Jackson is a contributor for http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com an online college guide for further education. Find more information on accredited online colleges including various distance learning degrees that you can earn online at http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/distance-learning-degrees.html

A Kids Answer to Their Academic Needs

Parents hire tutors to help their children cope with the demands of school. It helps children develop good study habits.

Parents always want the best for their kids. We provide them with all their physical, mental and spiritual needs. We make them feel good about themselves by the support, respect, and love that we give them. In return, they show respect and love to other people, whether to kids of their age and to adults.

However, as they grow and meet other people, their personality changes. No matter how hard we monitor their performance inside and outside of the school, there will be times when parents and kids will encounter difficult problems.

When you tutor your kid, particularly after school, before he takes his nap and by going over his notes and homework, you are already starting to establish a good study habit in him. It is very important to mold your child starting from a very young age, no matter how much he or she reasons not to do it. It is the role of the parents to instill good habits to their children. If you allow your child to do what he or she wants, it can break the good habit and it will stick until he grows up.

Hence, not all families have the privilege of being able to stay home most of the time to help their kids with their lessons. At this age of inflation, both parents need to work, leaving the kids with nannies, maids or babysitters. There are even parents who to take double jobs just to have a descent living. This means that more children are left to study by themselves. To ensure that kids have the same quality of discipline and education, parents get substitutes, a tutor.

In a 15:1 student-teacher ratio, some kids find it hard to catch up with the rest of the students. Remember that a student’s comprehension varies. Tutorial services are actually an extension of “school work” providing services for kids in grade school, high school or even college.

Tutors are teachers outside of an institution that teach students the skills and knowledge that they lack or have not yet developed. Putting your kids in a tutorial program will not only develop their academic deficiencies but also their confidence, self esteem and personality as a whole. It is believed that tutorial services provide individualized academic support that can enhance a students’ academic performance and support those challenged by such learning difficulties.

Grade School Tutorial

This type of tutoring centers on elementary students. Tutors should have a very good convincing power, commitment and appeal to students. They should have the following qualities: patience, responsibility, dedication and a morally upright foundation.

Tutors train their students to identify and understand concepts. They also give emphasis to the basics of reading, writing and skills in math. They use techniques not complicated and give additional information related to the topic, for the child’s comprehension. Ideally, tutors give different examples for each concept before going to the next. In this level, tutors offer feedback so they can encourage students to do better. Students in this stage are prepared for the next higher curriculum.

High School Tutorial

High school tutorial focuses on secondary learning. This is also for students who have organizational difficulties. Students in this program should be able to identify the areas they need to improve on, make strategies in taking exams, develop organizational skills and have a self-advocacy practice. This will ensure their capability to pass for their next higher academic endeavor. High school tutors should have a periodical meeting with the teachers, parents, and guidance counselors so they can monitor the student’s development and progress.

University Tutorial

University tutorial is for students in the tertiary level. The lessons are more difficult and specialized to the course taken. This type of tutorial is very specific. It targets a particular course like computer science and engineering. Tutors here should have both the experience and the skill. Students are supported both in their academic performance and their know-how capability.

Home Tutoring

This is the most traditional way of providing tutorial services. This is when a tutor goes to the student’s house and provides him or her with the necessary academic needs. It is considered as the most effective type because it ensures a 1:1 student-teacher ratio. This ratio projects a better teaching-learning process. It is more personalized; and therefore, tutors manage to monitor and evaluate the child’s performance easily. As a result, difficulties can be identified and resolved quickly. Thus, children are not pressured because they are performing in their own pace.

For more information on Tutors and Tutoring Services and University Tutoring Servicesplease visit our website.

What Are OPSEC Indicators?

OPSEC Indicators are friendly actions and open sources of information that can be detected or interpreted by adversarial intelligence systems, and combined with other known information to derive friendly critical information.

An indicator has five characteristics: Signature, Associations, Profiles, Contrasts and Exposure.

A signature causes an indicator to be identifiable and stand out. If a signature is unique and stable, it reduces the ambiguity of a particular indicator and reduces the number of additional indicators that must be observed in order to determine the significance. If the indicator’s signature is stable, meaning that the behavior is constant and repeated, an adversary may accurately predict future actions. By varying the pattern of behavior, the signature’s stability can be interrupted and increase the ambiguity of an adversary’s observations.

An association is the relationship that an indicator has to other information or activities. Adversarial Intelligence Analysts spend a considerable amount of time comparing current observations with past observations, which may reveal possible relationships. For example, an observer may note a particular employee report to work after hours. Though previous observation, the Analyst is aware of that employee’s position as an on-call computer forensics analyst. Given the association between those two observations, the Adversarial Intelligence Analyst could conclude that the organization has suffered a computer breach of some sort.

An association can also take the form of a pattern. For instance, if it is observed that field exercises are always preceded by weapons maintenance and vehicle loading, an analyst may be able to accurately predict these exercises. Lastly, an association can take the form of organizational patterns, particularly in military units. The analyst may be aware that a particular unit is comprised of Headquarters Company, a maintenance company and a transportation company. If one of these elements is detected, the presence of the others would be strongly suspected.

A profile is the sum of multiple signatures. In other words, when multiple signatures are detected, the combination therein would be more or less unique to a particular mission or task. For instance, if signatures are detected that indicate that aircraft fueling capacities are in place, as well as air traffic control, personnel and weaponry, a profile can be compiled indicating future air-based operations. If a unique profile is observed, an analyst may be able to accurately determine which type of operation is in progress, minimizing the need for additional observation and analysis.

Contrasts are any differences between the established pattern and current observations. Contrasts are the most reliable indicators because they depend on differences in established and repeated profiles, and need only to be observed rather than understood. A contrast can take many forms; for instance leaving work at a different time or the presence of vehicles or aircraft that were not previously observed. When noting a difference, the analyst will attempt to determine if the change is isolated or widespread, if the change has occurred previously (and has a matching association), if anything significant has occurred since the change and what the change may represent. While a contrast may not “give away the farm”, it may result in increased adversarial observation.

The exposure of an indicator refers to the length of time and the time frame in which the indicator is observed. If an indicator is allowed to be observed for a long period of time, it will be assimilated into the profile and be assigned a meaning. If an indicator is able to be observed for only a short period of time and does not repeat, it is less likely to attract attention. However, if the indicator is observed for short periods of time, but is repeated frequently, it will begin to be seen as a contrast to a normal profile. It is important to note that if an indicator is observed for any length of time in conjunction with a specific activity, it will gain increased importance as a precursor to that activity.

It is important to understand the different classes of OPSEC indicators, and to understand the collection efforts of adversaries. After all, if you don’t know what to protect, how do you know you’re protecting it?

Chris Cox is the President and Founder of the OPSEC Professional’s Association (OSPA)

« Previous Page — Next Page »