When representing data as a network, there are many decisions to make along the way. Different types of networks are helpful for understanding different types of data and for asking different types of questions. This section will take a closer look at some of the important considerations.
When creating a network from data, one of the most important questions to consider is what exactly the nodes and edges should represent. Often there are many possibilities, even for the same dataset. Any particular choice focuses on some aspects of the data, possibly discarding others. Networks are fundamentally about relationships and connections, so one way to define nodes and edges is to think about what types of relationships you're interested in. Some possibilities include the following:
- Social relationships, such as friendships, romantic relationships, or even rivalries...