SNA Question Module 1-3
1. Explain the role of social network analysis.
2. What are different application of SNA?
3. Why do we study social networks? Illustrate with two real-world examples.
4. Differentiate between egocentric, sociocentric, and open system perspectives in SNA.
5. Discuss three applications of SNA in online platforms.
6. Given a network graph of 6 nodes, draw the adjacency matrix and identify isolated, pendant, and
connected nodes.
7. Define the following terms with examples: degree, path, diameter, density.
8. Compute the degree centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality for all nodes in a
5-node star graph. Interpret the results.
9. Explain assortativity in networks. Why do social networks often show assortative mixing by
degree?
10.Differentiate between transitivity and reciprocity. Give one social scenario for each.
11.Define graph degeneracy. Explain its significance in identifying “core structures” of networks.
12.Find Eigen Centrality for a graph of 5-nodes.
13.What are the key properties of real-world? Give examples.
14.Explain why random networks fail to fully capture real-world network growth.
15.Explain the difference between random networks and real-world networks.
16.What do you understand by Small-world network? Explain mathematically.
17.Describe the Erdős–Rényi random network model. What assumptions does it make?
18.Numerical: Construct an ER random network with 𝑛=5, 𝑝=0.5 n=5,p=0.5. Write its adjacency
matrix and compute the expected average degree.
19.Explain the ring lattice model. Why is it insufficient for modeling social networks?
20.Discuss the process of creating a small-world network using the Watts–Strogatz model.
21.Compare the clustering coefficient of ring lattice and WS small-world networks.
22.Explain the “rich-get-richer” phenomenon in preferential attachment networks.
23.Numerical: Suppose a preferential attachment network starts with 3 nodes. Each new node
connects to 2 existing nodes. Draw the network after 4 additions and compute the degree
distribution.
24.Differentiate between the Barabási–Albert model and Price’s model.
25.What is a local-world network growth model? How does it differ from preferential attachment?
26.Explain accelerating growth in networks with one real-world example (e.g., Internet).
27.Discuss aging in preferential attachment networks. How does it affect hub formation?
28.List and explain three applications of link analysis in social networks or web search.
29.Differentiate between strong and weak ties with an example from LinkedIn.
30.What are signed networks? Explain balance theory with an example.
31.Explain the working of the PageRank algorithm. Why is damping factor used?
32.Numerical: Consider a 3-node directed graph where each node links to the other two. Compute
the PageRank values after 1 iteration with damping factor d=0.85d=0.85d=0.85.
33.What is Personalized PageRank? How does it differ from standard PageRank?
34.Discuss the importance of DivRank in avoiding popularity bias.
35.Explain SimRank. Why is it said that “two nodes are similar if they are connected to similar
nodes”?
36.What is PathSim? Discuss its relevance in heterogeneous information networks.
37.Compare and contrast the three levels of SNA with examples.
38.Analyze how degree centrality and betweenness centrality might identify different “influencers”
in a social network.
39.Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the Watts–Strogatz model in explaining small-world
phenomena.
40.Suggest improvements to the preferential attachment model to better capture aging effects in
citation networks.
41.Design a small case study: Take a class of 10 students and draw their friendship network.
Compute centrality measures and interpret the results.
42.Propose a hybrid link analysis algorithm combining features of PageRank and SimRank for a
recommender system.