ergm: A Package to Fit, Simulate and Diagnose Exponential-Family Models for Networks.
We describe some of the capabilities of the ergm package and the statistical theory underlying it. This package contains tools for accomplishing three important, and interrelated, tasks involving exponential-family random graph models (ERGMs): estimation, simulation, and goodness of fit. More precisely, ergm has the capability of approximating a maximum likelihood estimator for an ERGM given a network data set; simulating new network data sets from a fitted ERGM using Markov chain Monte Carlo; and assessing how well a fitted ERGM does at capturing characteristics of a particular network data set.
Hunter
David R
DR
Until August 2008:  Université d'Orléans Bâtiment de mathématiques, Route de Chartres B.P. 6759 45067 Orléans cedex 2, France.
Handcock
Mark S
MS
Butts
Carter T
CT
Goodreau
Steven M
SM
Morris
Martina
M