An Introduction to NodeXL
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This document introduces NodeXL, a graph visualization tool for social media research, particularly focusing on Twitter data related to infectious diseases. It outlines its functionalities such as data extraction, social network analysis (SNA), visualization of networks, and the importance of ethical considerations in data use. The author, Wasim Ahmed, is a PhD student and research associate at the University of Sheffield with expertise in health informatics and social media.
An Introduction to NodeXL
- 1. Introduction to NodeXL Wasim Ahmed (wahmed1@Sheffield.ac.uk) (Twitter: @was3210) An Introduction to Tools for Social Media Research 11th October 2016, London.
- 2. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 2 About me • PhD student in the Health Informatics Research Group, Information School, University of Sheffield. • Research Associate (Social Media Specialist), Management School, University of Sheffield. • Visibrain Blog Partner, Connected Action Partner, Echosec Advisor, SMRF Member, and NSMNSS member.
- 3. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 3 PhD Background • PhD project examines infectious disease outbreaks on Twitter (Swine Flu and Ebola). • PhD contains a chapter on tools, methods and software of capturing and analysing Twitter data. • Regular contributor to the LSE Impact blog on social media
- 4. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 4 • Network Overview, Discovery, and Exploration for Excel (NodeXL) is a graph visualization tool. • Allows the extraction of data from a number of popular social media platforms including Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. • Instagram capabilities in beta. NodeXL
- 5. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 5 • Once data is captured NodeXL can process data to extract graph metrics • Also enables the visualization of the extracted graphs based on a number of graph layout algorithms • Intended for users with little or no programming experience to perform Social Network Analysis NodeXL
- 6. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 6 • Social Network Analysis (SNA) is “the process of investigating social structures through the use of network and graph theories” (Otte, Evelien, Rousseau, and Ronald, 2002) • Key terminology: • Node = ‘actor’ on which relationships act • Edge = relationship which connects nodes Social Network Analysis
- 7. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 7 Social Network Analysis Early social network diagram of relationships among workers in a factory. The diagram illustrates the positions different workers occupy within the workgroup. Originally published in Roethlisberger, F., and Dickson, W. (1939). Management and the worker. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- 8. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 8 Examples of Networks • The World Wide Web is a big network where pages are nodes and links are edges • The Internet is a network where nodes are computers and edges are physical connections between devices
- 9. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 9 Examples of Networks Network of connections between devices within the Internet. Courtesy of Steve Jurvetson. Used under a Creative Commons license.
- 10. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 10 Network diagram of the #NSMNSS network community The tweets in the network were tweeted over the 75-day, 18-hour, 10-minute period from Friday, 01 July 2016 at 00:52 UTC to Wednesday, 14 September 2016 at 19:02 UTC.
- 11. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 11
- 12. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 12 NodeXL Ribbon in Excel
- 13. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 13 Import drop down
- 14. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 14 NodeXL Graph Gallery • It is possible to upload network visualizations as well as workbooks and GraphML files to the NodeXL graph gallery • The NodeXL graph gallery contains a number existing events, topics, and communities which have already been visualized
- 15. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 15 NodeXL Graph Gallery
- 16. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 16 Import settings • The NodeXL workbook used to create a graph is often linked to at the bottom of the page. • It can be downloaded and opened in order to create a similar looking graph. • Graphs can be further customized e.g., adding or removing group labels.
- 17. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 17 NodeXL Graph Gallery
- 18. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 18 6 types of network structures
- 19. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 19 6 types of network structures
- 20. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 20 #WorldMentalHealthDay
- 21. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 21 • Most frequently shared URLs, Domains, Hashtags, Words, Word Pairs, Replied-To, Mentioned Users, and most frequent tweeters • Produces metrics overall and by group of users (users are grouped by tweet content) • By looking at different metrics associated with different groups (G1, G2, G3 etc) you can see the different topics that users may be talking about Produces a number of metrics
- 22. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 22 Produces a number of metrics
- 23. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 23 Produces a number of metrics
- 24. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 24 Produces a number of metrics
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- 26. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 26 Ethics • In an academic context uploading to the graph gallery may not be permitted as participants are personally identifiable • It is possible to use NodeXL to create offline graphs and to report aggregately
- 27. 11/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield 27 Questions?