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Dear Joan,
The combination of SoNIA and Siena could be a powerful means of analyzing
your longitudinal network data.
SoNIA was created so users could construct animations of dynamic networks
(whether you have continuous or discrete notions of time), browse
attribute-rich network data, and have a platform for testing and
comparing different layout techniques. Hence, SoNIA allows you to use a
variety of graphing algorithms, see the underlying process by which
layouts are made (i.e., cooling functions, fitness of distances to
graph-coordinate space, etc - so at least some comparison and discussion
of "better" or "worse" graphs can be had), and it
minimizes artificial movement that arises from animating across
successive graphs. The end result is a dynamic network visualization with
meaningful movement. The documentation for SoNIA can be found here
http://www.stanford.edu/group/sonia/,
here
http://www.stanford.edu/group/sonia/papers/PiranVizTalk.pdf,
and in a forthcoming American Journal of Sociology article that
explains the theory behind it
http://www.sociology.ohio-state.edu/jwm/NetMovies/.
Multiple empirical studies using SoNIA are well under way and already
under review.
Siena is a nice compliment because it enables you to analyze the
interrelation of networks and attitudes over time (or more broadly,
relational and nodal mechanisms). Documentation for Siena can be found
with the StocNet software here
http://stat.gamma.rug.nl/,
the Sunbelt satellite symposium, and in recent Sociological
Methodology (2003) pieces by Tom Snidjers and others (see further
down on the aforementioned webpage).
Yours,
-Dan
At 10:00 PM 6/10/2004 -0400, Allatta, Joan wrote:
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I have 6 months of daily interaction data for approximately 300
people. I
also have attribute data on the people. I want to 'animate' this
network,
showing how the network changes on a daily basis. I know of
Netdraw, Pajek,
and Sonia but am not sure which would be best for this application.
Does
anyone know of a paper that compares the capabilities, advantages
and
disadvantages of the different software? Or does anyone have an
opinion?
I also want to be able to analyze the networks over time. I don't
believe
UCInet has this capability. I am starting to look at StocNet; would
Siena
be the best software for this dynamic modeling? Again, does anyone
know of
a paper that compares the different software? Or have an
opinion?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Joan Allatta
Doctoral Candidate
The Wharton School
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____________________________
Daniel A. McFarland
Assistant Professor of Education
and (by courtesy) Sociology
485 Lasuen Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-3096
Tel 650.723.1761
Fax 650.725.7412
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