Mutation Analysis.
Abstract
A new Type of software test, called mutation analysis, is introduced. A method of applying mutation analysis is described, and the design of several existing automated systems for applying mutation analysis to Fortran and Cobol programs is sketched. These systems have been the means for preliminary studies of the efficiency of mutation analysis and of the relationship between mutation and other systematic testing techniques. The results of several experiments to determine the effectiveness of mutation analysis are described, and examples are presented to illustrate the way in which the technique can be used to detect a wide class of errors, including many previously defined and studied in the literature. Finally, a number of empirical studies are suggested, the results of which may add confidence to the outcome of the mutation analysis of a program. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA076575
Entities
People
- Allen T. Acree
- Frederick G. Sayward
- Richard A. Demillo
- Richard J. Lipton
- Timothy A. Budd
Organizations
- Georgia Tech