Book Chapter Details
Mandatory Fields
Stol, Klaas-Jan; Fitzgerald, Brian
2020 August
Contemporary Empirical Methods in Software Engineering
Guidelines for Conducting Software Engineering Research
Springer International PublishingSpringer International Publishing
Cham
Published
1
Optional Fields
This chapter presents a holistic overview of software engineering research strategies. It identifies the two main modes of research within the software engineering research field, namely knowledge-seeking and solution-seeking research—the Design Science model corresponding well with the latter. We present the ABC framework for research strategies as a model to structure knowledge-seeking research. The ABC represents three desirable aspects of research—generalizability over actors (A), precise control of behavior (B), and realism of context (C). Unfortunately, as our framework illustrates, these three aspects cannot be simultaneously maximized. We describe the two dimensions that provide the foundation of the ABC framework—generalizability and control, explain the four different types of settings in which software engineering research is conducted, and position eight archetypal research strategies within the ABC framework. We illustrate each strategy with examples, identify appropriate metaphors, and present an example of how the ABC framework can be used to design a research program.
Felderer, Michael; Travassos, Guilherme Horta
978-3-030-32489-6
10.1007/978-3-030-32489-6_2
27
62
10.1007/978-3-030-32489-6_2
Grant Details