|
| This Article | ||
| ||
| Share | ||
| Bibliographic References | ||
| Add to: | ||
 Digg  Furl  Spurl  Blink  Simpy  Google  Del.icio.us  Y!MyWeb | ||
| Search | ||
| ||
| ASCII Text | x | ||
| Kate Finney, "Mathematical Notation in Formal Specification: Too Difficult for the Masses?," IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 158-159, February, 1996. | |||
| BibTex | x | ||
| @article{ 10.1109/32.485225, author = {Kate Finney}, title = {Mathematical Notation in Formal Specification: Too Difficult for the Masses?}, journal ={IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering}, volume = {22}, number = {2}, issn = {0098-5589}, year = {1996}, pages = {158-159}, doi = {http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/32.485225}, publisher = {IEEE Computer Society}, address = {Los Alamitos, CA, USA}, } | |||
| RefWorks Procite/RefMan/Endnote | x | ||
| TY - JOUR JO - IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering TI - Mathematical Notation in Formal Specification: Too Difficult for the Masses? IS - 2 SN - 0098-5589 SP158 EP159 EPD - 158-159 A1 - Kate Finney, PY - 1996 KW - Formal specification KW - mathematics KW - reading Z. VL - 22 JA - IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering ER - | |||
Abstract—The phrase "not much mathematics required" can imply a variety of skill levels. When this phrase is applied to computer scientists, software engineers, and clients in the area of formal specification, the word "much" can be widely misinterpreted with disastrous consequences. A small experiment in reading specifications revealed that students already trained in discrete mathematics and the specification notation performed very poorly; much worse than could reasonably be expected if formal methods proponents are to be believed.
[1] J.B. Wordsworth, "Education in formal methods for software engineering," Information and Software Technology, vol. 29, Jan.-Feb. 1987.
[2] "Educational Issues relating to formal methods," Education Issues Session of Z Users Meeting '94.
[3] C.A.R. Hoare, "Maths adds safety to computer programs," New Scientist, pp. 53-56, Sept. 1986.
[4] Anthony Hall, "Seven Myths of Formal Methods," IEEE Software, vol. 7, p. 13, Sept. 1990.
[5] K. Hurst, "Consequences of GCSE in mathematics for degree studies," The Mathematical Gazette, vol. 79, no. 484, pp. 61-63, Mar. 1995
[6] B. Potter, "Formal methods: Needs, benefits and pitfalls," Proc. Advanced Information System, pp. 205-210,London, Mar. 1991.
[7] K. Finney and A. Fedorec, "An empirical study of specification readability," Educational Issues of Formal Methods, M. Hinchey and N. Dean, eds., Academic Press to appear in 1996.
[8] N.E. Fenton, S. Lawrence Pfleeger, and R. Glass, “Science and Substance: A Challenge to Software Engineers,” IEEE Software, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 86–95, July 1994.