Mining Knowledge from Data: An Information Network Analysis Approach

Most objects and data in the real world are interconnected, forming complex, heterogeneous but often semistructured information networks. However, many database researchers consider a database merely as a data repository that supports storage and retrieval rather than an information-rich, inter-related and multi-typed information network that supports comprehensive data analysis, whereas many network researchers focus on homogeneous networks. Departing from both, we view interconnected, semi-structured datasets as heterogeneous, information-rich networks and study how to uncover hidden knowledge in such networks. For example, a university database can be viewed as a heterogeneous information network, where objects of multiple types, such as students, professors, courses, departments, and multiple typed relationships, such as teach and advise are intertwined together, providing abundant information. In this tutorial, we present an organized picture on mining heterogeneous information networks and introduce a set of interesting, effective and scalable network mining methods. The topics to be covered include (i) database as an information network, (ii) mining information networks: clustering, classification, ranking, similarity search, and meta path-guided analysis, (iii) construction of quality, informative networks by data mining, (iv) trend and evolution analysis in heterogeneous information networks, and (v) research frontiers. We show that heterogeneous information networks are informative, and link analysis on such networks is powerful at uncovering critical knowledge hidden in large semi-structured datasets. Finally, we also present a few promising research directions.