My FaceBook Network with Gephi

Coursera SNA Assignement March, 18th 2013

Get my FaceBook graph

Use getnet/netviz app to download my fb network in gml format. Open it with Gephi.

Basic graph properties

In the "context" panel (upper right), read: 712 nodes; 7433 edges; UNdirected graph (fb "friendship" is symmetrical).

Layout adjustement

Run a "Force Atlas 2" algorithm, setting "Gravity" (under "tunings") to 25.0 (after a couple of explorative runs), to prevent a somehow large disconnected component to be pull off the graph. Use Dissuade Hubs and Prevent Overlap.

The graph so far...

Set colors

In Partition/nodes, refresh and then choose "sex" in the cascade menu to color male and female differently. Note: 49.58% female, 49.16% male, 1.26% undeclared.

Degree analysis

Directed graph --> just one type of degree (directed graphs have in-degrees and outdegrees) In Statistics, run Average Degree Average degree expected to be #edges/#nodes = 7433 / 712 = 10.4. RESULT IS 20.8 (each edge counts twice)?

Degree analysis results

There's a node with degree ~140 and one with degree ~150 --> go to the DataLab to detect who they are... Note that top-ranking nodes (by degree) are all males!

Adjusting size by degree

Select Ranking/Nodes and Degree in the cascade menu; Select the diamond icon (size/weight) and a circular Spline (min = 1, max = 20).

The graph with degree ranking

Connected components

As the graph is undirected, there are no strongly connected components; In Statistics, run the Connected components algorithm: it reveals 16 of them (0 to 15). In Partition / Nodes, refresh and select Component ID

Detecting the giant component

The largest component comprehend 97% of the nodes; To identify it, select Giant component in Filters / Topology, drag it in the Queries area and finally Filter to obtain the result: there are 691 (out of 712) in the giant component.

Betweeness analysis

In Statistics, run Avg. Path Length; The average path has length 3.67, the graph diameter is 9 and its radius 5.

Rank by betweeness

In Partition / Ranking, refresh and select Betweeness Centrality (with size/weight selected); Use a circular spline, with min = 10 and max = 50; If necessary, run a Force Atlas layout with the Adjust by size box checked and a very high (~500) Gravity.

Community detection

Run Modularity in the Statistics panel (9 communities are identified); In Partition / Nodes, refresh and select Modularity, then Apply.

Adding labels