CRS HISTORY - STATUS OF TASKS AND METHODOLOGY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00951R000100080032-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: September 12, 1968
• Content Type: MF

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12 September 1968
MEMORANDUM FOR: Wiw~~
SUBJECT : CRS History - Status of Tasks and Methodology
1. In reviewing the "tasks" set forth in our list of 25 June, I find
that we have been moving ahead satisfactorily, have met the target dates
we have so far set for specific objectives, and have progressed on most
of the others.
2. Although I have no changes to suggest in the list of tasks, I do
think that our six weeks of research have taught us that we must make
some modification in our methodology if we are to finish the major part
of the job within a reasonable time. The card system we devised is
working well; the problem lies in the selection of materials to be noted
on the cards and the nature of the notations themselves.
3. What we have devloped so far, on the basis of the examination
of six cubic feet of the records of the Office of the Director and the
Library, is an excellent, even meticulous, bibliography of the contents
of these boxes. For an exhaustive history with an open-ended schedule,
this might be a reasonable way to proceed. We are agreed, however,
that this method is too slow within the rough time-limits we have set
for ourselves. Moreover, the notes themselves are not always of such
a nature that they can be used without again referring to the source
document itself. This can be expected where the material to be used
from the document is too extensive to copy or record, but there are
many instances where only an action or a date need be noted in such
a way that recourse to the source will not be necessary when writing
begins.
4. In the next phase of our research it is proposed that we proceed
as follows:
a. Place greater emphasis upon the formulation and recording
of questions to be answered. (Task 9)
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25X1A9a
b. Make use of as many secondary sources as possible as
a basis for developing key topics to be dealt with, expanding the
chronological file, and identifying key historical documents.
Such sources include annual reports, reports to PFIAB and
its predecessors, submissions to the Clarke Commission and 25X1A9a
similar studies, annual budget narratives, theme Report
and contributions thereto, briefings of the Knox Panel, selected
divisional reports, the CHIVE studies, and the like. Assemble
and record such documents in the CRS Historical Files. (Tasks
2 and 10)
c. Make maximum use of the special collections of key
materials already collected in the CRS file. (Tasks 2 and 10)
d. Continue to expand the chronological file and, as far as
possible, make notes of significant events that will not require
further recourse to the original source. (Task 8)
e. Undertake additional consultations with key people,
beginning with on 16 September. (Tasks 5 and 14)
f. Continue the exploitation of the records from Records
Center but scan them only for highly pertinent documents or
for secondary sources, as noted above. Make brief notes of
useful sources (or copy them); do not exploit these records
as intensively as heretofore. (Task 10)
5. A major task to which we have agreed to address ourselves for
the next two weeks is Task 11: "establish final list of general topics,
etc.". By 19 September we will each prepare our contributions to the
discussion of this list, which we should perhaps more realistically
call "semi-final". Included will be ideas for contributions from others,
appendixes, and monographs. (Task 13)
Copy:
U/CRS
CRS Historical Officer
V
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