Exercise 2a: Graph-Theoretic Concepts

Post date: Jan 25, 2014 10:19:30 PM

For general instructions on completing the exercises visit the Exercises page.

1. For this exercise we will use datasets CAMPNET and ZACKAR.

   1. CAMPNET. This is a network of 18 participants in a qualitative methods class. Ties are directed and represent that the ego indicated that the nominated alter was one of the three people with which s/he spent the most time during the seminar.

   2. ZACKAR. These are data collected from the members of a university karate club by Wayne Zachary. The ZACHE matrix represents the presence or absence of ties among the members of the club; the ZACHC matrix indicates the relative strength of the associations (number of situations in and outside the club in which interactions occurred).

2. Calculate overall density of the ZACKAR networks

3. Now calculate and interpret the density of the CAMPNET network. Does it make sense to look at the density of this dataset?

4. Calculate the number of weak AND strong components in the CAMPNET dataset.

5. Use UCInet to trace all paths between two nodes in CAMPNET. Kudos to whomever can find the longest path between two actors in this dataset. Make sure to find two actors who have a path. You may also be able to use NetDraw to identify some actors that have long paths between them.

6. Use UCInet to run geodesic distance on Campnet. Keep the defaults, but choose how you would like your undefined distances to be saved as.

7. Use UCInet to run reachability on campnet. Try to explain how this may be useful to know in an organizational or public health setting. Think interventions…