Empirical Methods and Studies in Software Engineering

Empirical Methods and Studies in Software Engineering
Author: Reidar Conradi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2003-08-21
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 3540406727

Nowadays, societies crucially depend on high-quality software for a large part of their functionalities and activities. Therefore, software professionals, researchers, managers, and practitioners alike have to competently decide what software technologies and products to choose for which purpose. For various reasons, systematic empirical studies employing strictly scientific methods are hardly practiced in software engineering. Thus there is an unquestioned need for developing improved and better-qualified empirical methods, for their application in practice and for dissemination of the results. This book describes different kinds of empirical studies and methods for performing such studies, e.g., for planning, performing, analyzing, and reporting such studies. Actual studies are presented in detail in various chapters dealing with inspections, testing, object-oriented techniques, and component-based software engineering.

Contemporary Empirical Methods in Software Engineering

Contemporary Empirical Methods in Software Engineering
Author: Michael Felderer
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 525
Release: 2020-08-27
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3030324893

This book presents contemporary empirical methods in software engineering related to the plurality of research methodologies, human factors, data collection and processing, aggregation and synthesis of evidence, and impact of software engineering research. The individual chapters discuss methods that impact the current evolution of empirical software engineering and form the backbone of future research. Following an introductory chapter that outlines the background of and developments in empirical software engineering over the last 50 years and provides an overview of the subsequent contributions, the remainder of the book is divided into four parts: Study Strategies (including e.g. guidelines for surveys or design science); Data Collection, Production, and Analysis (highlighting approaches from e.g. data science, biometric measurement, and simulation-based studies); Knowledge Acquisition and Aggregation (highlighting literature research, threats to validity, and evidence aggregation); and Knowledge Transfer (discussing open science and knowledge transfer with industry). Empirical methods like experimentation have become a powerful means of advancing the field of software engineering by providing scientific evidence on software development, operation, and maintenance, but also by supporting practitioners in their decision-making and learning processes. Thus the book is equally suitable for academics aiming to expand the field and for industrial researchers and practitioners looking for novel ways to check the validity of their assumptions and experiences. Chapter 17 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Design Science Methodology for Information Systems and Software Engineering

Design Science Methodology for Information Systems and Software Engineering
Author: Roel J. Wieringa
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 327
Release: 2014-11-19
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3662438399

This book provides guidelines for practicing design science in the fields of information systems and software engineering research. A design process usually iterates over two activities: first designing an artifact that improves something for stakeholders and subsequently empirically investigating the performance of that artifact in its context. This “validation in context” is a key feature of the book - since an artifact is designed for a context, it should also be validated in this context. The book is divided into five parts. Part I discusses the fundamental nature of design science and its artifacts, as well as related design research questions and goals. Part II deals with the design cycle, i.e. the creation, design and validation of artifacts based on requirements and stakeholder goals. To elaborate this further, Part III presents the role of conceptual frameworks and theories in design science. Part IV continues with the empirical cycle to investigate artifacts in context, and presents the different elements of research problem analysis, research setup and data analysis. Finally, Part V deals with the practical application of the empirical cycle by presenting in detail various research methods, including observational case studies, case-based and sample-based experiments and technical action research. These main sections are complemented by two generic checklists, one for the design cycle and one for the empirical cycle. The book is written for students as well as academic and industrial researchers in software engineering or information systems. It provides guidelines on how to effectively structure research goals, how to analyze research problems concerning design goals and knowledge questions, how to validate artifact designs and how to empirically investigate artifacts in context – and finally how to present the results of the design cycle as a whole.

Guide to Advanced Empirical Software Engineering

Guide to Advanced Empirical Software Engineering
Author: Forrest Shull
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 393
Release: 2007-11-21
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1848000448

This book gathers chapters from some of the top international empirical software engineering researchers focusing on the practical knowledge necessary for conducting, reporting and using empirical methods in software engineering. Topics and features include guidance on how to design, conduct and report empirical studies. The volume also provides information across a range of techniques, methods and qualitative and quantitative issues to help build a toolkit applicable to the diverse software development contexts

Case Study Research in Software Engineering

Case Study Research in Software Engineering
Author: Per Runeson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2012-03-07
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 111818100X

Based on their own experiences of in-depth case studies of software projects in international corporations, in this book the authors present detailed practical guidelines on the preparation, conduct, design and reporting of case studies of software engineering. This is the first software engineering specific book on the case study research method.

Experimentation in Software Engineering

Experimentation in Software Engineering
Author: Claes Wohlin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2012-06-16
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3642290442

Like other sciences and engineering disciplines, software engineering requires a cycle of model building, experimentation, and learning. Experiments are valuable tools for all software engineers who are involved in evaluating and choosing between different methods, techniques, languages and tools. The purpose of Experimentation in Software Engineering is to introduce students, teachers, researchers, and practitioners to empirical studies in software engineering, using controlled experiments. The introduction to experimentation is provided through a process perspective, and the focus is on the steps that we have to go through to perform an experiment. The book is divided into three parts. The first part provides a background of theories and methods used in experimentation. Part II then devotes one chapter to each of the five experiment steps: scoping, planning, execution, analysis, and result presentation. Part III completes the presentation with two examples. Assignments and statistical material are provided in appendixes. Overall the book provides indispensable information regarding empirical studies in particular for experiments, but also for case studies, systematic literature reviews, and surveys. It is a revision of the authors’ book, which was published in 2000. In addition, substantial new material, e.g. concerning systematic literature reviews and case study research, is introduced. The book is self-contained and it is suitable as a course book in undergraduate or graduate studies where the need for empirical studies in software engineering is stressed. Exercises and assignments are included to combine the more theoretical material with practical aspects. Researchers will also benefit from the book, learning more about how to conduct empirical studies, and likewise practitioners may use it as a “cookbook” when evaluating new methods or techniques before implementing them in their organization.

Research Methodologies, Innovations and Philosophies in Software Systems Engineering and Information Systems

Research Methodologies, Innovations and Philosophies in Software Systems Engineering and Information Systems
Author: Mora, Manuel
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 512
Release: 2012-02-29
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1466601809

Philosophical paradigms, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies make up the answering and problem solving systems that define current research approaches. While there are multiple research method books, the subject lacks an update and integrated source of reference for graduate courses. Research Methodologies, Innovations and Philosophies in Software Systems Engineering and Information Systems aims to advance scientific knowledge on research approaches used in systems engineering, software engineering, and information systems and to update and integrate disperse and valuable knowledge on research approaches. This aims to be a collection of knowledge for PhD students, research-oriented faculty, and instructors of graduate courses.

Using Software in Qualitative Research

Using Software in Qualitative Research
Author: Ann Lewins
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2007-05
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780761949237

Using Software in Qualitative Research is an essential introduction to the practice and principles of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS), helping the reader choose the most appropriate package for their needs and to get the most out of the software once they are using it. This step-by-step book considers a wide range of tasks and processes, bringing them together to demystify qualitative software and encourage flexible and critical choices and uses of software in supporting analysis. The book can be read as a whole or by chapters, building on one another to provide a holistic sense of the analytic journey without advocating a particular sequential process. Accessible and comprehensive, Using Software in Qualitative Research provides a practical but analytically-grounded guide to thinking about and using software and will be an essential companion for any qualitative researcher.