一句话：指出程序理解研究依赖自评与总结等间接度量的偏差风险，主张转向客观度量。
程序理解研究长期依赖间接度量：让受试者自评理解程度，或让其总结部分制品，研究者再据此推断其理解水平。作者指出，这类间接度量存在若干潜在问题：一方面容易受到参与者偏差的影响，另一方面是隐式地依据多种因素去推断理解程度，从而使测量结果的可靠性存疑。基于此，本文主张转向客观度量（objective measures）来评估程序理解，以提升测量的有效性与可重复性。摘要属于问题诊断与研究议程的提出，未给出具体度量手段的细节，也未报告实验或评估结果。
Traditionally, program comprehension research relies heavily on indirect measures of comprehension, where subjects report on their own comprehension levels or summarize part of an artifact so that researchers can instead deduce the level of comprehension. However, there are several potential issues that can result from using these indirect measures because they are prone to participant biases and implicitly deduce comprehension based on various factors.