Dear Martin - Yes I think that's a good point. Lots of available literature cites anecdotes because those are often what researchers find in abundance within their online populations. However that depends on what what kinds of data you are looking for. If you are looking for evidence of linkages between particular types of groups there is a large body of research on weblink analysis. (also see the link to the cybermetric group in my email signature) Thelwahl, M. (2004). "Using Search Engines and Web Crawlers for Web Research [online]." Thelwall, M. (2004). Link Analysis: An Information Science Approach. San Diego, Academic Press. Thelwall, M. (2003). "Web use and peer connectivity metrics for academic Web sites." Journal of Information Science 29(1): 11-20. Park, H. W. and M. Thelwall (2003). "Hyperlink analyses of the World Wide Web: A review." Journal of Computer Mediated Communication 8(4). Especially this last review will help locate social network analysis within weblink analytical theory. Denise N. Rall, PhD thesis in revision, School of Environ. Science, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW 2480 AUSTRALIA Tuesdays: Room T2.17, +61 (0)2 6620 3577 or Mobile 0427 245 497 http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/rsm/staff/pages/drall/index.html Virtual member, Cybermetrics Group, University of Wolverhampton, UK http://cybermetrics.wlv.ac.uk/index.html __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com