Guide to Advanced Empirical
Chapter 2Carolyn B. Seaman
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- 1. Introduction
| Chapter 2 Carolyn B. Seaman Abstract Software engineering involves a blend of nontechnical as well as technical issues that often have to betaken into account in the design of empirical studies. In particular, the behavior of people is an integral part of software development and maintenance. This aspect of our subject presents complexities and challenges for the empirical researcher. In many other disciplines, qualitative research methods have been developed and are commonly used to handle the complexity of issues involving people performing tasks in their workplace. This chapter presents several qualitative methods for data collection and analysis and describes them in terms of how they might be incorporated into empirical studies of software engineering, in particular how they might be combined with quantitative methods. To illustrate this use of qualitative methods, examples from real software engineering studies are used throughout. 1. Introduction The study of software engineering has always been complex and difficult. The complexity arises from technical issues, from the awkward intersection of machine and human capabilities, and from the central role of the people performing software engineering tasks. The first two aspects provide more than enough complex problems to keep empirical software engineering researchers busy. But the last factor, the people themselves, introduces aspects that are especially difficult to capture. However, studies attempting to capture human behavior as it relates to software engineering are increasing and, not surprisingly, are increasingly employing qualitative methods (e.g. Lethbridge et al., 2005; Lutters and Seaman, 2007; Orlikowski, 1993; Parra et al., 1997; Rainer et al., 2003; Seaman and Basili, 1998; Singer, 1998; Sharp and Robinson, Historically, qualitative research methods grew out of the interpretivist tradition in social science research. Interpretivism, in turn, arose as a reaction to positivism, F. Shull et al. (eds, Guide to Advanced Empirical Software Engineering. © Springer August 1999. © 1999 IEEE. Download 1.5 Mb. Share with your friends:
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