Accession Number:

ADA183181

Title:

Representation of Information in Software and Data Bases.

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 14 Jan 85-30 Jun 87,

Corporate Author:

GEORGE MASON UNIV FAIRFAX VA

Personal Author(s):

• Boehm-Davis,Deborah A.
• Holt,Robert W.
• Koll,Matthew

Report Date:

1987-06-30

Pagination or Media Count:

23.0

Abstract:

A research program that examined the ways in which information can be represented in software and data bases is described. In the software production arena, structure was imposed on programs through the application of program design methodologies in the design phase. Modification performance and mental models formed during the experiment were examined as a function of design methodology for student and professional programmers. The data suggested that program structure had a much stronger influence on the student programmers. Further, the data showed that where program design led to different mental models, it also led to differences in modification performance. In the data base arena, the focus of the research was on the impact of structuring the information contained in the data base on the retrievability

Descriptors:

• *INFORMATION THEORY
• *COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
• DATA BASES
• MENTAL ABILITY
• MODELS
• METHODOLOGY
• COMPUTER PROGRAMS
• MODIFICATION
• PROGRAMMERS
• STUDENTS
• INFORMATION RETRIEVAL

Subject Categories:

• Computer Programming and Software

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE