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Chapter 11
Networks
T
a data scientist, I have always been
dubious about the utility of network diagrams for the understand-
ing of unstructured data. e problem has always been that, while it is
very easy to draw nodes connected by arcs and display them in a stun-
ning visualization on a computer screen, it is very oen unclear what
real insight is gained from the exercise. e fact that a picture looks
compelling does not in fact make it useful. e reason for this is oen
that the nodes and arcs have not been suciently thought through so
that what is being connected in the graph has some relevance to a scien-
tic prob ...