一句话：通过出声思考定性研究，揭示程序员为何以及如何被“困惑原子”代码模式所迷惑。
困惑原子（atoms of confusion）是经实证验证的、程序员难以手工评估的小型代码模式。以往研究侧重于定义和量化这一现象，但未对其加以解释或批判。本文针对困惑原子研究中的核心缺失，采用出声思考（think-aloud）的定性研究方法，深入探究程序员理解代码时的认知过程，重点回答程序员误解的“如何”与“为什么”。研究旨在补充现有工作的不足，从定性角度揭示困惑原子导致理解困难的机制，为后续改进代码可理解性提供依据。
Atoms of confusion are small patterns of code that have been empirically validated to be difficult to hand-evaluate by programmers. Previous research focused on defining and quantifying this phenomenon, but not on explaining or critiquing it. In this work, we address core omissions to the body of work on atoms of confusion, focusing on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of programmer misunderstanding.
DOI 原文 ·
@inproceedings{paperbot5716,
title = {Thinking aloud about confusing code: a qualitative investigation of program comprehension and atoms of confusion},
author = {Dan Gopstein and Anne-Laure Fayard and Sven Apel and Justin Cappos},
booktitle = {FSE},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1145/3368089.3409714}
}