cwheat@mit: networks & organization 
15.992: Networks and Organization
Spring 2010
Tuesday 4:00p-7:00p
E51-061
Instructor: Christopher Wheat

Course Description

This seminar is intended to provide students with an intermediate level of familiarity with methods used in the quantitative study of social networks and the role that they play in organizing society. The seminar is divided into to two related modules. The first module focuses on the development of a set of tools and methods for assessing different kinds of relational structures in networks. In these sessions, we will focus on diving deep into the application of particular methods, and consider how these methods have been applied in the context of studying specific organizational phenomena. In the second module we will explore how a variety of network methods have been applied in the context of organizational research, with a focus on critical assessment of these applications.


Prerequisites

This seminar is open to any Ph.D. student at MIT. Other students are welcome to contact the instructor regarding participation in the course. While this is not an introductory class in social networks, there are no formal prerequisites. That said, some basic familiarity with social network methods and empirical research will be helpful to most students, as will some basic familiarity with quantitative statistical methods and linear algebra. While not necessary, concurrent enrollment in an graduate-level introductory social network analysis course should provide more than a sufficient background to students for whom this is new material.


Requirements/Grading

There are three basic requirements for this class:

  • Pre-class memos (25%): Unless otherwise noted, every student is required to submit a two-page memo critically discussing the assigned reading for the session. Memos should discuss the major themes that unite the readings, as well as pose questions for the seminar discussion.
  • Class participation (15%): Students are expected to have read all of the required articles for class and be prepared to discuss them critically.
  • Final Paper (60%): Each student is required to write a final paper in which they perform an empirical analysis where social network analysis plays a central role. Students are encouraged to view this as an opportunity to produce a publication-quality paper.
 © 2006-2008 Christopher Wheat