Exploratory Analysis of Web Data: Methods, Tools and Geographical Distribution

Abstract

We propose a methodology for the exploration of Web data, built on the principles of exploratory data analysis and analyt- ical visualisation of information. Our approach aims at combining these two approaches in order to benefit from both of them. This allows us to explore heterogeneous complex dynamic systems such as the Web, and to construct emergent structures and indicators without getting lost. By studying the geographical dimension for a specific Web locality, which is exemplary in many ways, we were able to test our methodology and various visualisation tools, thus validating our theoretical proposals.