statnetWeb Introduction

statnetWeb is a web-based interface that provides access to cross-sectional network modeling with the statnet packages network, sna and ergm. Today we are using this app for the morning sessions on ERGMs.

Getting Started

Open Rstudio and load statnetWeb:

library(statnetWeb)

Launch the Shiny app:

run_sw()

The Lab Assignment

You are going to execute a typical ERGM workflow: fit and assess three models sequentially, using the faux.mesa.high built in network data.

Start with the edges only model

  • on the Data Tab: select the faux.mesa.high network data

  • on the Fit Model tab:

    • Add the edges term
    • Fit the model
    • Save the model
    • Interpret the estimated coefficient: calculate the density of the network as a function of the coefficient.

  • on the MCMC Diagnostics tab

    • can you run the dx for this model?
    • why or why not?

  • on the Goodness of Fit tab:

    • run the default goodness of fit dx
    • interpret the results

Then: repeat these steps, for the following models:

  • Add Terms: nodefactor("Grade") + nodefactor("Race") + nodefactor("Sex")
  • Add Terms: triangle

Questions

  • For the model with the nodefactor terms added
    • interpret each of the coefficients: Significance? Direction? Size? Compared to the other terms?
    • compare the goodness of fit to the edges only model: which higher order stats look better? which do not?

  • For the model with the triangle term added
    • use your breakout group Slack channel to report your findings
    • discuss

Last updated: 2022-07-07 with statnetWeb v0.5.6