LitReview for Research Methods.

[dichen001]

Empirical Research Methods in Software Engineering

• Qualitative research

• Quantitative research

• Experiment

• Case study

• Survey

• Post-mortem analysis

Selecting Empirical Methods for Software Engineering Research

● Controlled Experiments (including Quasi-Experiments)

• A controlled experiment is an investigation of a testable hypothesis where one or more independent variables are manipulated to measure their effect on one or more dependent variables.

● Case Studies (both exploratory and confirmatory)

• worked example

● Survey Research

• Survey research is used to identify the characteristics of a broad population of individuals

● Ethnographies

• Ethnography is a form of research focusing on the sociology of meaning through field observation.

● Action Research

• In Action Research, the researchers attempt to solve a real-world problem while simultaneously studying the experience of solving the problem

The Future of Empirical Methods in Software Engineering Research

• Primary research
  • Experimentation
  • An experiment is an empirical inquiry that investigates causal relations and processes. The identification of causal relations provides an explanation of why a phenomenon occurred, while the identification of casual processes yields an account of how a phenomenon occurred
  • Surveys
  • A survey is a retrospective study of a situation that investigates relationships and outcomes. It is useful for studying a large number of variables using a large sample size and rigorous statistical analysis. Surveys are especially well-suited for answering questions about what, how much, and how many, as well as questions about how and why
  • Case studies
  • A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident
  • Action research
  • Action research focuses particularly on combining theory and practice
• Secondary research
  • Secondary research uses data from previously published studies for the purpose of research synthesis, which is the collective term for a family of methods for summarizing, integrating and, where possible, combining the findings of different studies on a topic or research question

Secondary research

Secondary research uses data from previously published studies for the purpose of research synthesis, which is the collective term for a family of methods for summarizing, integrating and, where possible, combining the findings of different studies on a topic or research question

Research in software engineering: an analysis of the literature

[dichen001]

according to Research in software engineering: an analysis of the literature

Approach

[2],[12]

• Informational,
• Propositional,
• Analytical,
• Evaluative.

[22]

• Formulative,
• Evaluative,
• Descriptive,
• Developmental

[1],[6],[16], [17]

formulative and descriptive --> non-empirical

Method

[1,6]

• Laboratory Experiments using human subjects,
• Field Studies,
• Case Studies,
• Field Experiments

[18]

• Action Research
• Ethnography

20

• Conceptual Analysis or Conceptual Study),
• Literature review

1

• Instrument development

2,12

• scientific,
• engineering,
• empirical,
• analytical

35

experimental

[1]