Analysing and visualising the X network: insights into Malaysian certificate of education assessment using NodeXL

Purpose This study explores how issues related to the Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, SPM) are discussed and disseminated on Platform X, with a specific focus on identifying key influencers, popular narratives and community dynamics within the digital discourse. Design/methodology/approach Social network analysis was conducted using NodeXL on 1,279 tweets containing the keyword “Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia”, posted between 2 March 2022 and 27 February 2025. The study identified influential users through betweenness centrality and visualised the network structure using the Clauset–Newman–Moore clustering algorithm. Findings The analysis identified 596 unique users, including the 10 most influential accounts, most used hashtags and the most frequently shared URLs. The top influential users demonstrated betweenness centrality score ranging from 1814.5 (first-ranked user) to 188 (tenth-ranked user). The network structure revealed distinct clusters, with educational institutions and ministry-affiliated accounts fostering supportive, community-based engagement, while public users expressed a divergent perspective on the SPM examination. Research limitations/implications The findings are based solely on data retrieved from Platform X and are limited to a specific keyword within a defined time frame, which may not capture all relevant conversations. Future studies could incorporate multi-platform analysis or longitudinal tracking to enrich understanding of digital discourse in education policy and reform. Originality/value This study demonstrates the robustness of SNA in examining the dynamics of educational discourse in digital spaces. It provides novel insights into the role of weak and strong ties in shaping public narratives, offering a digital lens into how SPMs are perceived and discussed in Malaysia.