A systematic mapping study of 95 code comprehension experiments published between 1979 and 2019
40 Years of Designing Code Comprehension Experiments: A Systematic Mapping Study
Many studies have been conducted to find out how developers could be supported during codecomprehension and which code characteristics contribute to better codecomprehension.Today, such experiments are more common than ever, and the number of publications makes it difficult to keep an overview.We therefore conducted a systematic mapping study of 95 source codecomprehension experiments published between 1979 and 2019.
we describe what topics have been studied, as well as how these studies have been designed, conducted, and reported.Frequently chosen designoptions and deficiencies are pointed out.We conclude with five concrete action items that we as a research community should address moving forward to improve publications of code comprehension experiments.
