network methods
I’ve had a long-standing interest in drawing on network theory to evaluate and improve methods - particularly of data collection. This has lead to my involvement in a number of primary data collection projects (in Malawi, South Africa and New York City), and evaluation of secondary network data (in Colorado Springs among others).
A while ago, I launched an initiative (supported by INSNA) to produce some documentation to smooth the IRB approval process for network researchers at their local institutions. The paper was recently accepted to Network Science, and we are developing a website for hosting the accompanying resources. I’m really excited to make this available to folks!
One of my favorite previous projects in this vein outside of data collection/evaluation was working with Gina Lovasi, and later Katie Faust, to compile advances in the combination of network and spatial analytic approaches, which culminated in the publication of a special isse of Social Networks.
Related publications:
- Dana K Pasquale, Tom Wolff, Gabriel Varela, jimi adams, Peter Mucha, Brea L Perry, Thomas W. Valente, & James Moody. 2025. “Considerations for Health and Social Networks Data Sharing: An Overview.” Annals of Epidemiology 102: 28-35.
- +Kate Vinita Fitch, Molly Copeland, & jimi adams‡. 2024. “What Predicts Romantic Tie Reciprocation among a Sample of Adolescents?” Social Networks 76: 203-208.
- jimi adams & Miranda J. Lubbers. 2023. “Social Network Data Collection: Principles and Modalities.” Chapter 40 in SAGE Handbook of Social Network Analysis, 2nd Edition edited by John McLevey, Peter Carrington, & John Scott. (preprint)
- jimi adams, Tatiane Santos, & Venice Ng Williams. 2020. “Strategies for Collecting Social Network Data: Overview, Assessment, and Ethics.” Chapter 7 in The Oxford Handbook of Social Networks, edited by Ryan Light & James Moody. Oxford University Press. (book)
- jimi adams. 2019. Gathering Social Network Data. SAGE, Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences Series #180.
- Stèphane Helleringer, jimi adams, Sara Yeatman, and James Mkandawire. 2019. “Evaluating Sampling Biases from Third-party Reporting as a Method for Improving Survey Measures of Sensitive Behaviors.” Social Networks 59:134-140.
- jimi adams, James Moody, Stephen Q. Muth & Martina Morris. 2012. “Quantifying the benefits of link-tracing designs for partnership network studies.” Field Methods 24(2): 175-193.
- jimi adams, Katherine Faust, & Gina Lovasi. 2012. “Capturing Context: Integrating spatial & social network analyses; Introduction to the Special Issue.” Social Networks 34(1): 1-5.
- jimi adams. 2010. “Distant Friends, Close Strangers? Inferring Friendships from Behavior.” (letter) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(9): E29-E30.
- jimi adams & Jenny Trinitapoli. 2009. “The Malawi Religion Project: Data collection & Selected Analyses.” Demographic Research 21(10): 255-288.
- jimi adams & James Moody. 2007 “To Tell the Truth? Measuring Concordance in Multiply-Reported Social Network Data.” Social Networks 29(1): 44-58.