Collaboration Networks Analysis: Combining Structural and Keyword-Based Approaches

Ana Mestrovic

Abstract: This paper proposes a method for the analysis of the characteristics of collaboration networks. The method uses social network analysis metrics which are especially applicable to directed and weighted collaboration networks. By using the proposed method it is possible to investigate the global structure of the collaboration networks, such as density, centralisation, assortativity and the dynamics of network growth. Furthermore, the method proposes appropriate network centrality measures (degree and its variations for directed and weighted networks) for ranking the nodes. In addition the proposed method combines a keyword-based approach and Louvain algorithm for the community detection task. Next, the paper describes a case study in which the proposed method is applied to the collaboration networks emerged from STSMs on the KEYSTONE COST Action.