Date of Award
1994
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Khoshgoftaar, Taghi M.
Abstract
Since maintenance is the most expensive phase of the software life cycle, detecting most of the errors as early as possible in the software development effort can provide substantial savings. This study investigates the behavior of complexity metrics during testing and maintenance, and their relationship to modifications made to the software. Interface complexity causes most of the change activities during integration testing and maintenance, while size causes most of the changes during unit testing. Principal component analysis groups 16 complexity metrics into four domains. Changes in domain pattern are observed throughout the software life cycle. Using those domains as input, regression analysis shows that software complexity measures collected as early as the unit testing phase can identify and predict change prone modules. With a low rate of misclassification, discriminant analysis further confirms that complexity metrics provide a strong indication of the changes made to a module during testing and maintenance.
Extent
71 p.
Recommended Citation
De, Gramont Anne H, "empirical study of source code complexity and source code modifications during testing and maintenance" (1994). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999. 579.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_4/579
Identifier
FADT15089
Comments
College of Engineering and Computer Science|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1994.|College of Engineering and Computer Science