Comparing network structures of different versions of a book: A case study of the Bible

Abstract

A book can be written in different versions even if their languages are the same. Or they can be published in different languages with the same message. Different versions can be represented as a co-word network or a cotopic network. In this study, I posit that different versions of a book may have similar but different topologies which imply slightly various interpretations. Two English versions of the Bible are used as a case study. Co-word networks and co-topic networks for topology comparison show that the King James Version and New International Version cover similar topics but have slightly different emphases in terms of network structure. This study shows that the comparisons among different versions of a book can be done through network analysis. Future work will be performed with domain experts. For example, with the Bible, experts in theology are required to connect network structural features to the present theology.