Templates and tariffs - tools for empirical studies

This paper discusses the roles that devices which we term templates and tar iffs can play in controlling empirical studies of programmers. Having been involved in a number of empirical investigations of programming, some based on observational studies of large groups and others based on protocols of individual subjects, we briefly consider problems which are inherent in the se various methodologies and consider how in our recent work, we have attem pted to ameliorate some of these problems using templates and a number of t ariffs. We outline the nature and mode of using these methods and suggest t hat they can play important roles in giving us a better picture of program construction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.