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What UAE Software Students Think About Software Testing: A Replicated Study

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Intelligent Methods Systems and Applications in Computing, Communications and Control (ICCCC 2022)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 1435))

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Abstract

Software testing is vital to improve software quality. However, software tester role is stigmatized, partly due to misperception and partly due to the treatment of the testing process within the software industry. The present study analyses this situation aiming to explore what might inhibit an individual from taking up a software testing career. In order to investigate this issue, we surveyed 132 senior students pursuing degrees in information systems, information and communication technology, computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, and other closely-related disciplines at three universities in the United Arab Emirates: two publicly funded and one top-notch private university. The students were asked to describe the PROs and CONs of taking up a career in software testing and to ponder the likelihood that they would take up the career themselves. The study identified 7 main PROs and 9 main CONSs for pursuing a testing career, and indicated that the role of software tester is perceived as a social role, which may require as many soft skills as technical prowess. The results also show that UAE software-related students have a stronger negative attitude towards software testing compared to their counterparts in other countries where similar investigations have been carried out in the past three years.

This research was conducted at New York University in Abu Dhabi in 2020, when L.F. Capretz was a visiting professor of Computer Science.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western University, London, N6G5H5, Canada

    Luiz Fernando Capretz

  2. University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Saad Harous & Ali Bou Nassif

Authors
  1. Luiz Fernando Capretz
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  2. Saad Harous
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  3. Ali Bou Nassif
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luiz Fernando Capretz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

    Simona Dzitac

  2. New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Domnica Dzitac

  3. Romanian Academy, Member of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania

    Florin Gheorghe Filip

  4. Polish Academy of Sciences, Systems Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland

    Janusz Kacprzyk

  5. Agora University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

    Misu-Jan Manolescu

  6. University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

    Horea Oros

Appendix A – Survey Questions

Appendix A – Survey Questions

  1. 1.

    What are the three PROs (in the order of importance) for taking up testing career?

    \({\text{a}})\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad {\text{b}})\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad {\text{c}})\)

  2. 2.

    What are three CONs (in the order of importance) for taking up testing career?

    \({\text{a}})\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad {\text{b}})\quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad {\text{c}})\)

  3. 3.

    What are chances of my taking up testing career?

    \(\begin{array}{*{20}l} {{\text{Certainly}}\;{\text{Not}}\quad {\text{No}}\quad {\text{Maybe}}\quad {\text{Yes}}\quad {\text{Certainly}}\;{\text{Yes}}} \hfill \\ {\text{Reasons:}} \hfill \\ \end{array}\)

  4. 4.

    Gender (optional):

  5. 5.

    GPA (optional):

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Capretz, L.F., Harous, S., Nassif, A.B. (2023). What UAE Software Students Think About Software Testing: A Replicated Study. In: Dzitac, S., Dzitac, D., Filip, F.G., Kacprzyk, J., Manolescu, MJ., Oros, H. (eds) Intelligent Methods Systems and Applications in Computing, Communications and Control. ICCCC 2022. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1435. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16684-6_7

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