Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)
Course Information
- COM 411: Introduction to Programming and Data Science
- Location: BRNG 2273
- Class Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays; 3:00-4:15pm
Instructor
- Instructor: Jeremy Foote
- Email: jdfoote@purdue.edu
- Office Hours: Thursdays; 12:30-2:30pm; BRNG 2156
Course Overview and Learning Objectives
Communication is inherently a social process. This class focuses on understanding how the structure of relationships between people influence communication patterns and behavior. This perspective can help us to understand a broad set of phenomena, from online communities to friendships to businesses.
Students who complete this course will be able to:
- Understand the foundations of social network theory and analysis.
- Critically read and comprehend concepts, results, and implications presented in studies of social
networks.
- Learn how networks are related to the social phenomena of their own interests.
- Gain a basic understanding of gathering network data and analyzing them using the programming language R.
Required resources and texts
Laptop
We will be meeting in a computer lab and you are welcome to use the lab computers for the in-class work that we are doing. In addition, I have ensured that the software we are using is also installed in the lab in the basement of Beering. If you choose to use your own computer, you need a machine with at least 2GB of memory. Windows, Mac OS, and Linux are all fine but an iPad or Android tablet won't work.
Readings
- Required text: Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age by Duncan Watts. I will list required chapters in the weekly notes below.
- Other readings: Other readings will be made available on Blackboard.
Additional readings and resources
- Barabasi, A-‐L. (2002). Linked: The new science of networks. Cambridge, MA: Perseus.
- Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. Riverside, CA: University of California, Riverside (available at http://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/)
- Scott, J. (2000). Social network analysis: A handbook (2nd edition). London: Sage Publications.
Course logistics
Note About This Syllabus
This is my first time teaching this course and this syllabus will be a dynamic document. Although the core expectations for this class are fixed, the details of readings and assignments may shift based on how the class goes. As a result, there are three important things to keep in mind:
- Although details on this syllabus will change, I will not change readings or assignments less than one week before they are due. If I don't fill in a "To Be Determined" one week before it's due, it is dropped. If you plan to read more than one week ahead, contact me first.
- Closely monitor your email. Because this a wiki, you will be able to track every change by clicking the history button on this page. I will also summarize these changes in an announcement that will be emailed to everybody in the class.
- I will ask the class for voluntary anonymous feedback frequently. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved.
Office hours and email
- I will hold office hours Thursday afternoons and by appointment. If you come with a programming question, I will expect that you have already tried to solve it yourself in multiple ways and that you have discussed it with at least two classmates. This policy lets me have time to help more students, but it's also a useful strategy. Often just trying to explain your code can help you to recognize where you've gone wrong.
- I am also available by email. You can reach me at jdfoote@purdue.edu. I try hard to maintain a boundary between work and home and I typically respond only on weekdays during business hours (~9-5) but during the week I will generally respond within 24 hours.
Assignments
Participation
Homework/Labs
Exams
Schedule
NOTE This section will be modified throughout the course to meet the class's needs. Check back in weekly.
Week 1: Introductions and the network perspective
January 14
Assignment Due:
- None
Required Readings:
- None
Class Schedule:
- Class overview and expectations — We'll walk through this syllabus.
January 16
Assignment Due:
- Read the entire syllabus (this document)
- Introduce yourself on our Brightspace discussion board
Readings:
- Six Degrees, Preface and Chapter 1
Class Schedule:
Week 2: Small worlds and scale-free networks
January 21
Assignment Due:
Readings (before class):
- Six Degrees, Chapter 2
- Travers, J. and Milgram, S. (1969). An experimental study of the small world problem. Sociometry, 32(4):425-443
- (Optional but short) Dodds, P. S., Muhamad, R., & Watts, D. J. (2003). An Experimental Study of Search in Global Social Networks. Science, 301(5634), 827.
Class Schedule:
January 23
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- Six Degrees, Chapter 3
Class Schedule:
Week 3: Social network data and analysis
January 28
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- James M. Cook, What is a Social Network?
Class Schedule:
- Using R for network analysis and visualization
- Start work on Homework 1
January 30
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
- Work on Introduction to R, chapters 1-3
Week 4: Network mechanisms and dynamics
February 4
Assignment Due:
- Finish Introduction to R, chapters 1-3
- Homework 2
Readings:
- Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. S. (2003). Theories of communication networks. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. (pp. 298--314)
Class Schedule:
February 6
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- Burt, R. S. (2000). The network structure of social capital. Research in Organizational Behavior, 22, 345–423.
Class Schedule:
Week 5: Social capital, weak ties, and data collection
February 11
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380. https://doi.org/10.1086/225469
Class Schedule:
February 13
Assignment Due:
Readings: TBA
Class Schedule:
Week 6: Ego networks and mid-term
February 18
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. University of California. (Chapter 9)
- Marsden, P. V. (1987). Core Discussion Networks of Americans. American Sociological Review, 52(1), 122–131. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095397
Class Schedule:
February 20
In-class midterm exam
Week 7: Introduction to R and network visualization
February 25
Assignment Due:
Readings:
- Skim Static and dynamic network visualization with R by Katya Ognyanova
Class Schedule:
- Introduce more advanced visualization methods in R
- Begin working through Network Analysis in R
February 27
Assignment Due:
- Finish Sections 1 and 2 of Network Analysis in R
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 8: Density, centralization, and power
March 3
Assignment Due:
- Second self-assessment reflection is due.
Readings:
Class Schedule:
March 5
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 9: Finding groups in networks
March 10
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
March 13
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
March 17, 19: SPRING BREAK
Spring Break: No Class
Have a great Spring Break!
Week 10: Networks in organizations
March 24
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
March 26
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 11: Social influence and diffusion
March 31
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
April 2
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 12: Mid-term exam 2 and global networks
April 7
Assignment Due:
- Third self-assessment reflection is due.
Readings:
Class Schedule:
April 9
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 13: The dark side of networks
April 14
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
April 16
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 14: Networks and the economy
April 21
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
April 23
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 15:Networks and collaboration
April 28
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
April 30
Assignment Due:
Readings:
Class Schedule:
Week 16: Finals week (April 28)
Assignment Due:
- Final self-assessment reflection is due.
Administrative Notes
Attendance Policy
Attendance is very important and it will be difficult to make up for any classes that are missed. It is expected that students communicate well in advance to faculty so that arrangements can be made for making up the work that was missed. It is the your responsibility to seek out support from classmates for notes, handouts, and other information.
Electronic Devices
I love technology and I study how technology can help us to collaborate and create. However, the research is increasingly clear that in a classroom setting technology can easily become more of a distraction than an aid. Cell phones fall clearly into this category. Unless you have a specific and vital need to be accessible by phone, please silence your phone and keep it put away.
Laptops can also be distracting, to you and to others. I strongly suggest that you take notes using pen and paper. Taking notes on a laptop is permitted but please refrain from using your laptop from non-class purposes (email, Facebook, shopping, etc.). Please close any applications which might be distracting.
Incomplete
A grade of incomplete (I) will be given only in unusual circumstances. The request must describe the circumstances, along with a proposed timeline for completing the course work. Submitting a request does not ensure that an incomplete grade will be granted. If granted, you will be required to fill out and sign an “Incomplete Contract” form that will be turned in with the course grades. Any requests made after the course is completed will not be considered for an incomplete grade.
Academic Integrity
While I encourage collaboration, I expect that any work that you submit is your own. Basic guidelines for Purdue students are outlined here but I expect you to be exemplary members of the academic community. Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.
Nondiscrimination
I strongly support Purdue's policy of nondiscrimination (below). If you feel like any member of our classroom--including me--is not living up to these principles, then please come and talk to me about it.
Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life.
Students with Disabilities
Purdue University strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so that we can discuss options. You are also encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center at: drc@purdue.edu or by phone: 765-494-1247.
Emergency Preparation
In the event of a major campus emergency, I will update the requirements and deadlines as needed.
Mental Health
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of mental health support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 765-494-6995 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office of the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during business hours.
Acknowledgements
I reached out to a number of network scholars for guidance with this syllabus. This version is based most strongly on the course taught by Seungyoon Lee, but I also received syllabi, materials, or ideas from Brooke Foucault-Welles, Katy Pearce, and Sandra González-Bailón.
I also drew from online resources, including James Cook's wonderful (and freely available) social networks course and Matt Salganik's course materials.
