An empirical evaluation of defect detection techniques

Abstract

This report describes an empirical study comparing three defect detection techniques: (a) code reading by stepwise abstraction, (b) functional testing using equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis, and (c) structural testing using branch coverage. It is a replication of a study that has been carried out at least four times previously over the last 20 years. This study used 47 student subjects to apply the techniques to small C programs in a fractional factorial experimental design. The major findings of the study are: (a) that the individual techniques are of broadly similar effectiveness in terms of observing failures and finding faults, (b) that the relative effectiveness of the techniques depends on the nature of the program and its faults, (c) these techniques are consistently much more effective when used in combination with each other. These results contribute to a growing body of empirical evidence that supports generally held beliefs about the effectiveness of defect detection techniques in software engineering. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.