Social Network Analysis: Visua access and influence ‘ing and measuring 2005 IRE Denver Jaimi Dowdell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch idowdell@oost-dispatch.com ‘The power of data analysis isn't aways demonstrated inthe final published product. More often {han not the results from hours of running queries never make it in the paper or on air. But, without the Process of sifting through numerous fields and records many important and solid stories would be missed. ‘We've come to lear that by using spreadsheets and database managers we can narrow down the ‘eld of information to pinpoint certain areas of intrest to investigate and explore with additonal reporting Social network analysis software is ust another tool that can assist wit this fitring process. it allows ‘porters to look at eationships, or connections between individuals, organization, etc, in new ways, So what is social network analysis? Social network analysis is a method of research using data to analyze relationships between individuals, organizations, etc. Driving social network analysis isthe idea that social networks are ‘undamentally a pat of any group or community. The people who know each other, and, in tum, know ‘others present a web of power and knowledge. ‘Theoretically, these connections and relationships speak volumes about our society and the indlvidual layers, or actors, themselves. Researchers, mainly in the social sciences, have studied these ‘ypes of connections for decades attempting to give meaning to the social networks around us. Quite often {hey collect survey data and build databases for their analysis. Journalists have recently begun using social network analysis software and techniques to produce and investgate stories, While some of te stores may include fancy graphics of connections, olher stories simply used social network analysis methods as a “psheet, or guide, o further investigate a story. Socal network analysis can help journalists si through all othe noise ofthe extraneous information and attempt to focus onthe individuals of organizations that are Potentially pivotal tothe story. Here are some stories that implemented te concept of vsualzalion or social network analysis software {52h These stories are availabe frm the IRE Resource Center and canbe ordered by clng 873-882. 3364 or e-mailing tescntr@ire.ora. ‘+ No. 21387 The Washington Post THs two day series pushed in May 2004 looks a the carign fundraising practices of Pres. George W.The real question you might have about socal network analysis probably doesn't involve software ‘What you'e probably wondering right now is how you can make all of these nodes and lines work for you ‘and your newsroom. What you dont ve in a big ty andthe most powerful board members in your ommmunty belong tothe local school dstrc!? One of the wonderful tings about social network analysis is ‘halt can be tailored to suit any projects. Hore are some ideas fr just about any beatin ll types of communities: * Local government power—shich city coun members are connected to others outside of goverment via businoss or organizaons? How migh! hese etatonships act important decksons being made in your community? * Campaign contributions—which candidates are geting alo the money and fom whom? Av there spel Hearts atthe donors are tying to promote? Ave there any political action committees In your community? How is everyone involved? * Grime criminologists have used social network ana rack te eiinals athe hear of many problems within iner ces. Paice can then take that information fo target the sources of the problems * Public health—Researchers have used this method to track the spread of HV and SARS, Reporters could "ook at the spread of West Nile and other diseases throughout the nation * Contracts and bids—Who is geting publi money or perorming services in your community? Who are the winners and laser inthe contract game? Are there any connections between local businesses and ‘gavernment offal that might have an infuence on which companies are awarded contacts? How is the ublc being served through this process? Another thing to remomber about social network analysis is that many of the sources of information you might use to build network models are already publicly available. Here are some document Sources that might help you build @ network: * Local Government Web sites—Usualy these willis members of cy council, board of ajustment, planning and zoning, etc. * Secretary of state corporate filings (tate level)—Fnd out what companies and nonprofit organizations and individual is @ registered agent fo. you already know the names of businesses an indchal ic nneved With find out who are the organizers and board of directors, * RS, Secuites and Exchange Commission Fiings—Corporate 10-K flings ist the board of crectrs. Find the flings online at iip:hwnu see govledgar shim! * Form 9908—Nonpofis are requiedt ist ther board of crectos. Many high-involved individuals in your Community wit tum up on these Iss. Find flings online at wwvn gudestar.orgus main contibutors, The groups called the Bush Pioneers and Bush Rangers have found ways to Bypass contrbuton its to come up with a record amcunt (296 niin) of campaign funding for ne Dogo lection, According to the repot, the Phoneers “have evohed from an inal group of family, ends, and assodates wing fo bet on puting another Bush in the White House into an extraordinary organized and {fscpined machine" In exchange for thee generosity, some conrbutors now hold several postions in ihe White House + No. 20463 The Washington Post ihe Washington Post used socal network analysis in early 2003 to report ona group of language schools in the Los Angeles ara that appeared tobe "isa mils fr foreign students. In NS Moves to Pug Vise Ofcts Pest eportersloked ino schools that bre ite resemblance to ea nstutons of higher lering Of a dozen schools visited bythe reporters, none had mare than a handful of students, and one had no teachers and no sa save fora receptions + No.21453 The Kansas City Star he US. goverment boleves thatthe Columbia, Missouri based Islamic Afican Relief Agency helped finance bin Laden and other terrorists. Federal agents seized the charty’sofce in October 2004, The {Eans2s City Star ciagrammed the summary the U.S. Treasury crezied to suppotits allegations against the TARA Some points include: atleast eight connections between IARA and Osama bin Laden, his rganizatons or the Taliban; two connections to Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organization whose suicide bombings ravaged ie in Israel; connections to three other groups that ong have been designated as lerorct. re yandations by federal autores. The piece aso contains a map of ARA funding worgwdein an attempt to track the money. What can you do with social network analysis? "You don't have to work for a large news organization or be a complete CAR nerd to make social nelwark analysis work for you, The good news i there's software aveitable that is reasonably priced and wih some effort fairly simple to navigate. The Intemational Network for Socal Network Analysis htod/ wr insna. or) has alink to all avaliable software. My experience has been with UCINET from Analytic Technologies. You can get a fee trial download of his sofware and pricing information at bttoulwonw.analytictech,comfucinet htm. There i also aft of teratue availabe onthe uses and practices of social network analysis, While most of he published work fs academic in nature, itcan really help shed ight on using this stuf, To realy Lnderstand the methods and theories behind social network analysis most people recommend Social Network Analysis: A Handbook, by John Scott and Social Network Analysis: Methods and. ‘Applications, by Stanley Wasserman and Katherine Faust. Scots book bit simpler and a great place to start, but once You get going youl find the technical explanations from Wasserman and Faust to be a great help. Also, be ‘ure to check out Introduction to Social Network Methods, a fee, online handbook by Robert A. Hanneman totaly. yor edulhanneman/SOC167/TEXT/Textindex him), IRE's social network analysis page is ‘980 agteal source ofthe latest information on social network analysis and ts uses in investigative journalism,Newspaper Archives—Search for an individuals’ name in electronic newspaper archives. Some ‘searchers have used the “society” sections of newspapers fo conduct an analysis on community involvement, Corporate Web sites—Publcly traded companies lst board ofdrecors and top-level executives on their Web sites, Property Records—Help to uncover who a person is doing business with and under what names, Court Records— When researching a business or individual, these records can help you uncover which business deals have gone sour and who is strongly connected to an individual When analyzing networks, remember that your results will only be as good as the data and information you collect. While there is a lot of public information available that will help you build network models, in most cases you'l be the one who has to find it and compile it. Be sure to exhaust your sources and double check your information