Using Social Media for Global Security

Chapter 3

Introduction to Social Media Analytics

Analyzing social media data improves operational planning and execution. It can help you understand social networks and what they are discussing, identify key people and relationships, and understand and forecast events. However, analysis offers benefits only if it is conducted accurately and honestly. This chapter lays the foundation for learning social media analytics by defining what analysis is, what it is not, and how it can help, providing an analysis overview, and introducing the analytical methodologies this book covers.

Defining Analysis

Conducting any type of analysis requires knowing what it is and how it differs from other ways of making sense of the world. However, it has limitations and can easily fall prey to corrupt practices. Only by understanding the powers and limitations of analysis can you start to learn how to analyze social media to solve various problem sets. The subsequent sections may seem academic and dry at times, but unless you are comfortable with doing quantitative analysis, you should go through them. It will help you analyze social media and other types of data, and appreciate and critique the analyses of others.

What Is Analysis

Analysis is the systematic study of relevant data to gain insights about a topic. Analysis involves carrying out a variety of objective methodologies on evidence to find answers to specific problems. The methodologies are a series of steps, derived from past analytical studies ...