HodgeRank: Applying Combinatorial Hodge Theory to Sports Ranking

In this thesis, we examine a ranking method called HodgeRank. HodgeRank was introduced in 2008 by Jiang, Lim, Yao and Ye as ``a promising tool for the statistical analysis of ranking, especially for datasets with cardinal, incomplete, and imbalanced information.'' To apply these methods, we require data in the form of pairwise comparisons, meaning each voter would have rated items in pairs. An obvious candidate for ranking data in the form of pairwise comparisons comes from sports, where such comparisons are very natural (i.e. games between two teams). We describe a simple way in which HodgeRank can be used for sports ratings and show how HodgeRank generalizes the well-established sports rating method known as Massey's method.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Sizemore, Robert Kelly

• Graph Theory

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/38577

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/38577