Empirical Methods in Software Engineering - Research Paper Example

Repetition allows greater certainty of observation. Anecdotal and case studies are based on observation of actual practice; however the researcher cannot exercise the same level of control over the study that is possible in experimentation. Another practical problem is that it is difficult to find case studies that match the researcher's goals. Depending on the significance of our results, we may be able to state that application of textual differencing as a selective regression testing technique will reduce the test cycle (the duration of regression testing after each release) while retaining the power of the test suite.

Empirical software engineering is a related concept, sometimes used synonymously with experimental software engineering. Empirical software engineering is a field of research that emphasizes the use of empirical studies of all kinds to accumulate knowledge. Methods used include The Scientific Method is a way to make sure that experiment can give a good answer to specific question. The Scientific Method is a logical and rational order of steps by which scientists come to conclusions about the world around them.

The Scientific Method helps to organize thoughts and procedures so that scientists can be confident in the answers they find. Scientists use observations, hypotheses, and deductions to make these conclusions. Various possibilities are thought through by using the Scientific Method to eventually come to an answer to the original question. The steps of the Scientific Method are: Observation/Research Hypothesis Prediction Experimentation Conclusion The observation is done first so that to know how to go about the research.

The hypothesis is the answer thought to be found. The prediction is specific belief about the scientific idea. The experiment is the tool that is invented to answer the question, and the conclusion is the answer that the experiment gives. OBSERVATION This step could also be called "research." It is the first stage in understanding the chosen problem. After decision of area of research and the specific question to ask, it is