Dates: 19-23 January, 2009 Location: The Australian National University, Canberra Instructor: Dr Robert Ackland, The Australian National University Booking: http://acspri.org.au This course will introduce participants to approaches for conducting empirical social science research into online networks. The course will involve the use of the Virtual Observatory for the Study of Online Networks (VOSON) System - web-based software that incorporates web mining, data visualisation, and more traditional empirical social science methods (e.g. social network analysis, SNA). To our knowledge, VOSON is the first web-based e-Research tool specifically designed for social science research into online networks. See http://voson.anu.edu.au for more details on the VOSON software and related research. The course will focus on two types of online networks: hyperlink networks formed by organisations (for example, social movement organisations and government departments) and networks formed by individuals using social network services (SNSs) such as Facebook. The course will mainly consist of hands-on sessions where participants will use the VOSON software. However there will also be several mini lectures introducing the key concepts and methods that underly VOSON. For more information on the course objectives and outline, please contact Robert Ackland. Please note that bookings are to be made via the Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Incorporated (ACSPRI) website (http://acspri.org.au). ------------------------------------- Dr Robert Ackland Fellow, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute College of Arts and Social Sciences The Australian National University e-mail: robert.ackland@anu.edu.au homepage: http://adsri.anu.edu.au/people/robert.php project site: http://voson.anu.edu.au ph./fax: +61 2 6125 0312/+61 2 6125 2992 mail: Coombs Building, 9 Canberra, ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA -------------------------------------