Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Note on the Text
- 1 Introduction to Social Networks Research
- 2 Describing and Interpreting Social Network Features
- 3 Accounting for Substantive Network Features
- 4 Crafting a Network Theory
- 5 Moving from Theory to Empirics
- 6 Acquiring Network Data
- 7 Preparing Network Data
- 8 Working with Network Data in R
- 9 Conclusion
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Moving from Theory to Empirics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 November 2024
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Note on the Text
- 1 Introduction to Social Networks Research
- 2 Describing and Interpreting Social Network Features
- 3 Accounting for Substantive Network Features
- 4 Crafting a Network Theory
- 5 Moving from Theory to Empirics
- 6 Acquiring Network Data
- 7 Preparing Network Data
- 8 Working with Network Data in R
- 9 Conclusion
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The move from theory to empirics requires figuring out how to collect evidence that could support or disconfirm hypotheses derived from your theory. Empirically studying the network in your theory requires two steps: determining which nodes to include in your data and operationalizing the link type. This chapter helps a reader select the boundary that contains the nodes of interest, pointing out some subtle downsides to random sampling in network studies. It also helps readers determine whether they want to measure full networks or ego ones and offers pointers on operationalizing link types.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Designing Empirical Social Networks Research , pp. 73 - 89Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024