Experimental Psychology and Debugging

See our Web site for a complete bibliography of research papers on debugging.

Yo74 Youngs, E. A. “Human Errors in Programming,” Int. J. of Man-Machine Studies 6 (1974): 361–376.

Go75 Gould, J. D. “Some Psychological Evidence on How People Debug Computer Programs,” Int. J. of Man-Machine Studies 7 (1975): 151–182.

BD80 Brooke, J. B., and Duncan, K. D. “Experimental Studies of Flow-chart Use at Different Stages of Program Debugging,” Ergonomics 23(11) (1980): 1057–1091.

GS84 Gilmore, D. J., and Smith, H. T. “An Investigation of the Utility of Flowcharts During Computer Program Debugging,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 20 (1984): 357–372.

AJ85 Anderson, J. R., and Jeffries, R. “Novice LISP Errors: Undetected Losses of Information from Working Memory,” Human-Computer Interaction 1 (1985): 107–131.

Ve85 Vessey, I., “Expertise in Debugging Computer Programs: A Process Analysis,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 23 (1985): 459–494.

SSP85a Spohrer, J. C., Soloway, E.; and Pope, E. “A Goal/Plan Analysis of Buggy Pascal Programs,” Human-Computer Interaction 1(2) (1985): 163–207.

SSP85b Spohrer, J. C., Soloway, E.; and Pope, E. “Where The Bugs Are,” Proceedings Computer-Human Interaction ‘85, ACM, 1985, 47–53.

Ve86 Vessey, I. “Expertise in Debugging Computer Programs: An Analysis of the Content of Verbal Protocol,” Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 16(5) (1986): 621–637.

GO87 Gugerty, L., and Olson, G.A. “Comprehension Differences in Debugging by Skilled and Novice Programmers,” Empirical Studies of Programmers, Ablex Publishing Corp., 1987, 13–27.

KA87 Kessler, C. M., and Anderson, J. R. “A Model of Novice Debugging in LISP,” Empirical Studies of Programmers, Ablex Publishing Corp, 1987, 198–212.

SS87 Spohrer, J. G., and Soloway, E., "Analyzing the High Frequency Bugs in Novice Programs,” Empirical Studies of Programmers, Ablex Publishing Corp, 1987, 230–251.

KA88 Katz, I. R., and Anderson, J. R. “Debugging: An Analysis of Bug-Location Strategies,” Human-Computer Interaction (3) (1987–1988): 351– 399.

Ve89 Vessey, I. “Toward a Theory of Computer Program Bugs: An Empirical Test,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 30 (1989): 23–46.

Ca89 Carver, D. L. “Programmer Variations in Software Debugging Approaches,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 31 (1989): 315–322.

SJW90 Stone, D. N., Jordan, E. W., and Wright, M. K. “The Impact of Pascal Education on Debugging Skill,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 33 (1990) : 81–95.

AB91 Allwood, C. M., and Bjhorhag C-G. “Novices’ Debugging When Programming in Pascal,” Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 33 (1991): 707–724.

Eb94 Ebrahimi, A. “Novice Programmer Errors: Language Constructs and Plan Composition,” Int. J. Human-Computer Studies 41 (1994): 457–480.