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5 - Quantifying Uncertainty in Archaeological Networks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2023

Tom Brughmans  and
Matthew A. Peeples
Tom Brughmans
Affiliation:
Aarhus Universitet, Denmark
Matthew A. Peeples
Affiliation:
Arizona State University
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Summary

Are my data good enough to create an archaeological network? What if I am missing some sites or contexts, or I have poor or variable quality information for some observations? Can I still apply network methods and models with incomplete and/or imperfect data, or should I not even attempt to use network methods? At this point, some of you may be asking yourselves questions along these lines. It is good to carefully consider potential data issues when conducting any archaeological analysis, but there are also some specific concerns revolving around sampling and data quality that deserve special attention when dealing with network data. In this chapter, we outline some of the most common issues you will encounter and further offer a generalized approach to identifying and assessing the potential impacts of sources of variation and uncertainty in network data through simulation and resampling.

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Chapter
Information
Network Science in Archaeology , pp. 149 - 192
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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References

Further Reading

The following references provide several examples of approaches to assessments of missing data in network analysis from studies focused on social networks, archaeological networks, and so-called dark networks.

The following set of articles by Smith and colleagues provide the most detailed available general assessments of the robustness of network properties and positions to different kinds of missing information (both random and nonrandom) as well as overviews of network data imputation methods.

Borgatti, Stephen P., Carley, Kathleen M., and Krackhardt, David 2006 On the Robustness of Centrality Measures under Conditions of Imperfect Data. Social Networks 28(2):124–136.Google Scholar
Costenbader, Elizabeth, Valente, Thomas W. 2003 The Stability of Centrality Measure When Networks are Sampled. Social Networks 25(4):283–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Moor, Sabine, Vandeviver, Christophe, and Vander Beken, Tom 2020 Assessing the Missing Data Problem in Criminal Network Analysis Using Forensic DNA Data. Social Networks 61:99–106.Google Scholar
Frantz, Terrill L., Cataldo, Marcelo, and Carley, Kathleen M. 2009 Robustness of Centrality Measures under Uncertainty: Examining the Role of Network Topology. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory 15(4):article 303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gjesfjeld, Erik 2015 Network Analysis of Archaeological Data from Hunter-Gatherers: Methodological Problems and Potential Solutions. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 22(1):182–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huisman, Mark 2009 Imputation of Missing Network Data: Some Simple Procedures. Journal of Social Structure 10(1):1–29.Google Scholar
Kossinets, Gueorgi 2006 Effects of Missing Data in Social Networks. Social Networks 28(3):247–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, John M., Yin, Yi, Dorshorst, Emily, Peeples, Matthew A., and Mills, Barbara J. 2021 Assessing the Performance of the Bootstrap in Simulated Assemblage Networks. Social Networks 65:98–109.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., and Moody, James 2013 Structural Effects of Network Sampling Coverage I: Nodes Missing at Random. Social Networks 35(4):652–668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, Jeffrey A., Moody, James, and Morgan, Jonathan H. 2017 Network Sampling Coverage II: The Effect of Non-Random Missing Data on Network Measurement. Social Networks 48:78–99.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., Morgan, Jonathan H., and Moody, James 2022 Network Sampling Coverage III: Imputation of Missing Network Data under Different Network and Missing Data Conditions. Social Networks 68:148–178.Google Scholar
Borgatti, Stephen P., Carley, Kathleen M., and Krackhardt, David 2006 On the Robustness of Centrality Measures under Conditions of Imperfect Data. Social Networks 28(2):124–136.Google Scholar
Costenbader, Elizabeth, Valente, Thomas W. 2003 The Stability of Centrality Measure When Networks are Sampled. Social Networks 25(4):283–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Moor, Sabine, Vandeviver, Christophe, and Vander Beken, Tom 2020 Assessing the Missing Data Problem in Criminal Network Analysis Using Forensic DNA Data. Social Networks 61:99–106.Google Scholar
Frantz, Terrill L., Cataldo, Marcelo, and Carley, Kathleen M. 2009 Robustness of Centrality Measures under Uncertainty: Examining the Role of Network Topology. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory 15(4):article 303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gjesfjeld, Erik 2015 Network Analysis of Archaeological Data from Hunter-Gatherers: Methodological Problems and Potential Solutions. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 22(1):182–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huisman, Mark 2009 Imputation of Missing Network Data: Some Simple Procedures. Journal of Social Structure 10(1):1–29.Google Scholar
Kossinets, Gueorgi 2006 Effects of Missing Data in Social Networks. Social Networks 28(3):247–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, John M., Yin, Yi, Dorshorst, Emily, Peeples, Matthew A., and Mills, Barbara J. 2021 Assessing the Performance of the Bootstrap in Simulated Assemblage Networks. Social Networks 65:98–109.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., and Moody, James 2013 Structural Effects of Network Sampling Coverage I: Nodes Missing at Random. Social Networks 35(4):652–668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, Jeffrey A., Moody, James, and Morgan, Jonathan H. 2017 Network Sampling Coverage II: The Effect of Non-Random Missing Data on Network Measurement. Social Networks 48:78–99.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., Morgan, Jonathan H., and Moody, James 2022 Network Sampling Coverage III: Imputation of Missing Network Data under Different Network and Missing Data Conditions. Social Networks 68:148–178.Google Scholar
Borgatti, Stephen P., Carley, Kathleen M., and Krackhardt, David 2006 On the Robustness of Centrality Measures under Conditions of Imperfect Data. Social Networks 28(2):124–136.Google Scholar
Costenbader, Elizabeth, Valente, Thomas W. 2003 The Stability of Centrality Measure When Networks are Sampled. Social Networks 25(4):283–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Moor, Sabine, Vandeviver, Christophe, and Vander Beken, Tom 2020 Assessing the Missing Data Problem in Criminal Network Analysis Using Forensic DNA Data. Social Networks 61:99–106.Google Scholar
Frantz, Terrill L., Cataldo, Marcelo, and Carley, Kathleen M. 2009 Robustness of Centrality Measures under Uncertainty: Examining the Role of Network Topology. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory 15(4):article 303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gjesfjeld, Erik 2015 Network Analysis of Archaeological Data from Hunter-Gatherers: Methodological Problems and Potential Solutions. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 22(1):182–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huisman, Mark 2009 Imputation of Missing Network Data: Some Simple Procedures. Journal of Social Structure 10(1):1–29.Google Scholar
Kossinets, Gueorgi 2006 Effects of Missing Data in Social Networks. Social Networks 28(3):247–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, John M., Yin, Yi, Dorshorst, Emily, Peeples, Matthew A., and Mills, Barbara J. 2021 Assessing the Performance of the Bootstrap in Simulated Assemblage Networks. Social Networks 65:98–109.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., and Moody, James 2013 Structural Effects of Network Sampling Coverage I: Nodes Missing at Random. Social Networks 35(4):652–668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, Jeffrey A., Moody, James, and Morgan, Jonathan H. 2017 Network Sampling Coverage II: The Effect of Non-Random Missing Data on Network Measurement. Social Networks 48:78–99.Google Scholar
Smith, Jeffrey A., Morgan, Jonathan H., and Moody, James 2022 Network Sampling Coverage III: Imputation of Missing Network Data under Different Network and Missing Data Conditions. Social Networks 68:148–178.Google Scholar

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