Zhang, Jun, Mark S. Ackerman, and Lada Adamic. "Expertise networks in online communities: structure and algorithms." Proceedings of the 16th international conference on World Wide Web. 2007.

This study explores web-based communities as significant platforms for seeking and sharing expertise, focusing on the Java Forum as a case. The research finds that networks within these communities differ in topology from other online networks like the World Wide Web, necessitating adaptive systems for identifying users with expertise. Using social network analysis methods, the study tests network-based ranking algorithms, including PageRank and HITS, to identify highly expert users in the Java Forum. Simulations based on simple rules governing the question-answer dynamic in the network replicate the observed structural characteristics and algorithm performance. This approach not only allows for practical algorithm design and implementation but also facilitates the evaluation of algorithm performance in communities with diverse characteristics.