A15. Rice,
R.E.
& Richards, W. Jr. (1985). An overview of communication network
analysis
programs and methods. In B. Dervin & M. Voigt (Eds.), Progress
in
communication sciences, 6, 105-165. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
The format of this chapter is as follows. The
three very broad
dimensions upon which network analysis methods and programs may be said
to vary will be introduced. Definitions of common (though not
comprehensive) terms are provided under each dimension. The subsequent
section then considers several general classes of methods: factor
analysis, cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling, block modeling,
and graph-theoretical network methods, and log-linear analysis. Each
method is discussed in light of three dimensions, and then one or two
major implementations--programs--of the method are described.
Subsection
then briefly notes a variety of recently developed or otherwise
highbred
methods, ending in a mention of some measure of integrated network
analysis
computer packages. A short analysis of a famous relational data set,
using
a variety of methods, is intended to highlight some of the insights
that
each method provides. A brief conclusion proceeds a comprehensive
bibliography
which is intended to provide those interested in network analysis
approaches
with a starting place for further reading.
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