Dringus, Laurie P., and Timothy Ellis. "Using data mining as a strategy for assessing asynchronous discussion forums." Computers & Education 45.1 (2005): 141-160.

This paper explores how data mining can enhance the representation and analysis of data from asynchronous discussion forums, addressing the challenge instructors face in reviewing extensive forum transcripts. The study seeks to define "data from an online forum" and aims to align the information instructors need with the data that can be extracted through mining techniques. By using temporal participation indicators, the authors demonstrate how data and text mining can improve instructors' ability to evaluate discussion progress, providing a more comprehensive and useful view of forum interactions.