Ask HN: Learning Social Network Analysis - question about the math | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Learning Social Network Analysis - question about the math

1 pointtalonx5 comments

I've been thinking of learning SNA with a view towards researching online social networks (mathematically) and their characteristics and I would like some insights.

I have a degree in computer science, but I've realized that my mathematical background, as it stands now, for going deep into things like graph theory etc is rusty.

What would you recommend as a good list of books/other resources for getting started with the mathematical portion of it?

This is what I plan to do 1. Build up the math background first 2. Get into graph theory

I know there are a lot of books dealing specifically with SNA, but I have a long way to go before I can read those :) Any advice is appreciated.

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Pick up an elementary graph theory book first - that's where you want to be getting to. Then "read like math." In other words, read it, but making sure you understand every point. Do the exercises, think through the examples, work at it.

If there's something you don't understand, search Google, read wikipedia, and, as a last resort, pose it as a puzzle in an online forum somewhere. Pick your forum carefully.

That leaves the question of which book to start with. Try just Googling first, then read the reviews. Narrow it down to a few, and then again, ask for recommendations.

This may sound patronizing, and I apologise if it does, but I'm trying to teach you to fish, rather than just giving you one. With a degree in computing you have more background than you think, and you need to target your endpoint rather than just accruing random math stuff.

Rider, your response is right on target - especially the last sentence. I'm trying to figure out an optimal path instead of "accruing random math stuff". Will get the graph theory book(s) narrowed down first, and then ask for further help.

Thanks a lot.

Here are the books I've arrived at, after some research -

1. Graph Theory - Adrian Bondy/USR Murty

2. Graph Theory - Diestel

3. Intro to Graph Theory - Douglas West

4. Introductory Graph Theory - Gary Chartrand

I guess I'll flip through a Linear Algebra course once - to see if I need to brush up there as well.

Free math books: http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/mathematics.php

Spend some time here http://markorodriguez.com/Lectures.html

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