University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Toward a mesoscopic analysis of the temporal evolution of scientific collaboration networks

Ahmed, Syed Ishtiaque; Cambo, Scott Allen; Lagoze, Carl; Velden, Theresa

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/42055

Description

Title
Toward a mesoscopic analysis of the temporal evolution of scientific collaboration networks
Author(s)
  • Ahmed, Syed Ishtiaque
  • Cambo, Scott Allen
  • Lagoze, Carl
  • Velden, Theresa
Issue Date
2013-02
Keyword(s)
  • co-author networks
  • mixed methods
  • temporal evolution
  • scientific collaboration
  • community structures
  • bibliometrics and scholarly communication
  • information behavior
  • research methods
  • social and community informatics
  • quantitative data analysis
Abstract
This poster reports on our latest results in a multiyear project that employs a mixed network analytic and ethnographic approach to understand the factors underlying field-specific attitudes towards openness and sharing of scholarly data. We report initial results of adding a temporal dimension to an analysis of scientific collaboration networks that provide evidence for comparative study of community structures and collaboration patterns across scientific fields. The addition of a temporal dimension to the analysis allows us to study the dynamic processes involved in the evolution of a scientific community and to determine field specific patterns. Further, it improves the accuracy with which the internal structures of scientific collectives can be resolved. This ongoing work advances an ethnographically grounded approach to the mesoscopic analysis of collaboration networks. Supported by ethnographic insights, we can connect mesoscopic network features to notions of research groups, group leadership and implied seniority, inter-group collaboration, between group migration, and ephemeral one-off exchanges. Eventually, a mesoscopic perspective should allow us to significantly improve the validity of models to explain network evolution.
Publisher
iSchools
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42055
DOI
https://doi.org/10.9776/13446
Copyright and License Information
Copyright © 2013 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

Owning Collections

iConference 2013 poster abstracts PRIMARY