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Social Network Analysis Social network analysis (SNA) is a series of methods of inquiring into the ways that the arrangement of and relationship between actors in a social network affect the influence they have on one another, the efficiency with which they communicate, the flow of resources, and network outcomes. Based upon graph theory, it is a fast-growing field of inquiry with applicability to anthropology, sociology, psychology, management, business, public health, program evaluation, and a number of other fields. Through examination of the ways that structural and relationship factors influence network functioning, the researcher can help networks to capitalize on their strengths and work to improve their weaknesses. Here is an example network representation I created for my PSY 338 Class, showing that Def Squad (Eric Sermon, Keith Murray, and Redman) is actually the link between east coast and west coast hip-hop (as if you didn't already know that). SNA Links
Geographic Information Systems Geographic information systems (GIS) methods of inquiry involve examination of the geographic clustering of risk factors, events, services, and persons. Applicable to public health, management, business, program evaluation, sociology, and a number of other fields, GIS allows researchers to capitalize on geographic information within a database for the purposes of determining underlying patterns and trends, making decisions strategically, and presenting information to non-technical audiences in a non-threatening and visually pleasing format. Through spatial analysis, researchers can determine whether the clustering of certain events within a geographic area is statistically unlikely to have occurred by chance alone. For example, it is unlikely to be coincidence that incidents of child maltreatment are heavily concentrated in census tracts with high poverty rates (Korbin, Coulton, Chard, Platt-Houston, & Sou, 1998). Typical spatial analysis methods include multiple linear regression and cluster analysis. Here is an example combination map I created for a 2005 Florida Academy of Sciences presentation. Here is another example thematic map that I created for Saint Leo (warning: takes a while to load). Not all the ZIP codes are labeled, only the most relevant ones. GIS Links Here is a great introduction to GIS UT Dallas has a program in geographic information sciences. Here is their guide to GIS data sources on the internet. check out a good example of using GIS for social services
Item Response Theory Item Response Theory (IRT) is a method of examining the functioning of surveys and tests, as well as the items within them, in a manner that complements traditional psychometric examinations considerably. Advantages of IRT over traditional psychometrics include the ability to examine the way that test items function across subgroups (e.g., males vs. females), the ability to structure specialized tests for selection decisions, computer adaptive testing, and structuring bias-free tests of known difficulty. You may have heard it referred to as latent trait theory. IRT Links
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