Nodal and matrix analyses of communication patterns in small groups

This paper describes an analytic framework based on the methods of social network analysis pioneered by Nieminen (1974) and Freeman (1978/79) and used by structural anthropologists (e.g., Hage and Harary, 1996). It extends the methodology for use in evaluating computer-mediated communication in small groups and analyzes a sample dataset drawn from synchronous chat room interaction of five adults involved in a process of decision-making. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible applications of social network analysis to computer-supported learning, and limitations.