Research on Structured Programming: An Empiricist's Evaluation

In spite of the widespread acceptance by academics and practitioners of structured programming precepts, relatively few formal empirical studies have been conducted to obtain evidence that either supports or refutes the theory. This paper reviews the empirical studies that have been undertaken and critiques them from the viewpoints of the soundness of their methodology and their ability to contribute to scientific understanding. In general, the evidence supporting programming precepts is weak. A framework for an ongoing research program is outlined.

[1]  H. J. Einhorn,et al.  Linear regression and process-tracing models of judgment. , 1979 .

[2]  Barry Boehm,et al.  Some experience with automated aids to the design of large-scale reliable software , 1975 .

[3]  I. St. J. Hugo A survey of structured programming practice , 1977, AFIPS '77.

[4]  Ruven E. Brooks,et al.  Using a behavioral theory of program comprehension in software engineering , 1978, ICSE '78.

[5]  Harlan D. Mills,et al.  Structured programming - theory and practice , 1979, The systems programming series.

[6]  Claude E. Walston,et al.  A Method of Programming Measurement and Estimation , 1977, IBM Syst. J..

[7]  Ron Weber,et al.  Some factors affecting program repair maintenance: an empirical study , 1983, CACM.

[8]  Corrado Böhm,et al.  Flow diagrams, turing machines and languages with only two formation rules , 1966, CACM.

[9]  Brian W. Kernighan,et al.  The UNIX™ programming environment , 1979, Softw. Pract. Exp..

[10]  Anas N. Al-Rabadi,et al.  A comparison of modified reconstructability analysis and Ashenhurst‐Curtis decomposition of Boolean functions , 2004 .

[11]  Bill Curtis,et al.  Modern Coding Practices and Programmer Performance , 1979, Computer.

[12]  G. A. Miller THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW THE MAGICAL NUMBER SEVEN, PLUS OR MINUS TWO: SOME LIMITS ON OUR CAPACITY FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION 1 , 1956 .

[13]  Edsger W. Dijkstra,et al.  Structured programming , 1972, A.P.I.C. Studies in data processing.

[14]  R. J. Rubey,et al.  Quantitative aspects of software validation , 1975 .

[15]  Thomas R. G. Green,et al.  Scope Marking in Computer Conditionals - A Psychological Evaluation , 1977, Int. J. Man Mach. Stud..

[16]  Laurence Mark Weissman,et al.  A methodology for studying the psychological complexity of computer programs. , 1974 .

[17]  T. R. G. Green Conditional program statements and their comprehensibility to professional programmers , 1977 .

[18]  Ruven E. Brooks,et al.  Studying programmer behavior experimentally: the problems of proper methodology , 1980, CACM.

[19]  Will Tracz,et al.  Computer programming and the human thought process , 1979, Softw. Pract. Exp..

[20]  N. Falconer Structured Programming , 1973, Nature.

[21]  B. A. Sheil,et al.  The Psychological Study of Programming , 1981, CSUR.

[22]  Henry C. Lucas,et al.  A Structured Programming Experiment , 1976, Comput. J..

[23]  Victor R. Basili,et al.  A Controlled Experiment Quantitatively Comparing Software Development Approaches , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[24]  Robert L. Glass,et al.  Persistent Software Errors , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

[25]  E. Burton Swanson,et al.  Problems in application software maintenance , 1981, CACM.

[26]  Randall W. Jensen Tutorial Series 6 Structured Programming , 1981, Computer.