COEN 286: Index

Software Testing and Quality Assurance -- winter, 2008

Prof. John Noll

Santa Clara University

Syllabus. Integrity Form. Grades.

1. Objectives

In designing this course, I asked myself, if I were hiring a software test lead for a project, what would I want that person to know? The answer comprises the course objectives:

1. How to write a useful test plan.
2. How to construct test cases.
3. How to write tests.
4. How to do inspections and walkthroughs.
5. How to manage actual testing.

We will try to address each of these with readings and exercises.

Class will be devoted primarily to discussion of readings from the text and handouts; we will have some in-class exercises as well. As such, class participation is important and will be a part of the grade.

CAUTION: Do NOT take this course if

• This is your first graduate course at SCU.
• You have a heavy schedule or looming deadline at work.
• You're looking for some easy two unit course to fill out your schedule.
• You are not willing or able to learn how to use Unix and XML.
• You're too lazy to spell check and proofread your work.

1.1 Assessment (Grading)

Grades will be computed as follows:

• Academic Integrity Statement 0-100% (if you don't submit this, it will count as 100% with grade zero.) To ensure that there are no misunderstandings about standards of academic integrity you are expected to meet this semester, please read the academic integrity statement, then print, sign, and return a copy to me by the beginning of the second week.
• Class Participation 10%. It is essential that you be able to do more than apply stock answers to simple questions. As engineers, you will be required to synthesize and articulate the concepts we study into solutions to new problems. Your comments in class are one way to demonstrate that you have developed such skills. In addition, all of you have some experience developing software, either in academic or industrial settings. I expect you to contribute to the class by participating in discussions of issues presented in the readings. Class participation will be assessed at the end of the quarter, according to the following scale:
  1. Definitely participated: 2 points;
  2. Participated somewhat: 1 point;
  3. Did not participate: 0 points;
  4. Disruptive: -1 point.
• Exercises 90%. The exercises provide hands-on experience with the course concepts, and so serve as an important learning vehicle.
  1. Test exercise. (15%) due: January 31. This exercise introduces software testing.
  2. Risk Analysis exercise. (15%) due: February 7. This exercise explores a simple technique for assessing risk subjectively.
  3. Test Case Design. (15%) due: February 21. This exercise examines test case design techniques like input equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis.
  4. Code Review exercise. (10%) due: February 28. This exercise involves homework and in-class participation in a software code review.

  5. Test Implementation. (15%) due: March 13, at 23:59 (midnight). IMPORTANT! The test implementation exercise must be completed using a Design Center Unix account. Make sure you have an account, and know how to use it, well before this exercise.

  6. Test Plan. (20%) due: March 20, at 23:59 (midnight).
• Final Exam 0%. The final ``examination'' is the Test Plan exercise.

Final course grades will be assigned using a ``calibrated normative'' scale, as described in the grading policy.

1.2 Quality Standards

Each exercise will have specific requirements, which will be detailed in the exercise specification. In addition, I expect all deliverables to adhere to the following additional standards:

• Spelling, grammar, formatting: all documents should be correctly spelled and proofread. Typographic errors, misspellings, obvious grammar mistakes, and egregious formatting problems will result in exponential deductions from your score ((2^^n) - 1 points deducted for n infractions).
• Format: each exercise has a specific required format. This is to facilitate evaluation, so it is essential that you follow the specified format. Failure to do so will result in your submission being returned for reformatting, and will be considered late as a result.
• Name and identification: all submissions should have a cover page that includes your name, your student id (not your social security number), and the exercise title. Those that do not will be assessed a 20% penalty.
• Electronic submissions must meet the above requirements when printed. Electronic submissions must be in plain Unix format ASCII text (this means pre-formatted paragraphs with hard newlines) or PDF; DO NOT submit Word .doc files.

2. Logistics

Instructor

Dr. John Noll
Office: , Tuesday and Thursday, 16:00 - 17:00
Email: jnoll@cse.scu.edu

I only check voicemail when I'm actually on-campus, so if you need to contact me, please send email.

When sending email, be sure it is in plain text format; do not send HTML, Word .doc files, etc. Do not send attachments without prior approval.

Class Meeting

Thursday, 17:10-19:00, ENGR 105.

Communication

The web site will be the primary source of information about the course. Also check the discussion group periodically for announcements. If you need to contact me directly, send email to the address above. Please do not leave voicemail for me, as I check it infrequently.

Textbook

Hutcheson, Software Testing Fundamentals. Wiley.

Additional handouts as required.

Syllabus

The syllabus lists the specific topics and associated readings for each meeting.

3. Fine Print

3.1 Prerequisites

Software development experience; reading knowledge of C; working knowledge of Unix.

3.2 Late work and examinations

Assignments will be accepted up to one week late, with 20% penalty.

Examinations are mandatory and must be completed at the scheduled time on the scheduled day. If you miss an examination because of an emergency, as soon as you are released or ambulatory submit a copy of your hospital admission, accident report, arrest report, a signed note from your physician on his or her letterhead (which must include address and telephone number), or other verifiable documentation that you were unable to attend the scheduled examination.

Funerals are not considered emergencies and therefore require prior arrangements if they conflict with an exam.

Conference attendance and other work-related activities are not considered emergencies or reasonable excuses for missing an exam.

3.3 Grade Disputes

If you disagree with a grade on an exercise or examination, please follow the procedure outlined in the Grading Errors and Appeals policy document.

3.4 Attendance

A portion of your grade depends on class participation. While attendance is not mandatory, lack of attendance, if excessive, will adversely affect your participation score. Likewise, arriving late for class or other disruptive behavior will be considered ``anti-participation'' and result in a negative participation score.

3.5 Document submission via email

In cases where it is necessary to submit documents (exercises, inquires, etc.) via email, the following types are acceptable:

1. Plain, inline ASCII text with hard newlines.
2. PDF files as attachments, with Unix-convention file names (no spaces) and encoded using base 64 encoding with mime type ``application/pdf.'' Be sure the file contents include a header or cover page with your name, course number, and the assignment to which they apply, and that each page has a header or footer including the page number and your name. Note: when you convert your document to PDF, use embedded fonts and make sure your document is readable on a Linux platform running Acrobat version 5.0. (Beware: Microsoft Word has a tendency to create PDFs that are not readable using Linux Acrobat 5.0; this is not acceptable.)

Do NOT send Microsoft Word documents, html, or other content formats.

3.6 Mobile Communications Devices

The classroom is not the place to take telephone calls or receive paging messages. Please turn off your pagers, cellular telephones, etc. during class. If you simply cannot be out of touch for an hour at a time, contact me to make arrangements. Interruptions caused by cell phones and pagers will count negatively towards your class participation grade.

3.7 Illness and other problems

Things don't always go as planned. If you get sick, wreck your car, don't understand the lectures, etc., you must contact me as soon as possible via email or during office hours.

In rare cases illness or injury may prevent you from completing enough work to pass the course. In such an instance, I will consider a petition for a grade of ``incomplete'' which gives you some additional time to complete alternate work to satisfy the course requirements. Such petitions must be accompanied by verifiable documentation of incapacity, as described above. In any case, the last week of the quarter is too late to address such problems; let me know right away if you think you may need to petition for an incomplete.

I will do everything possible to help students who let me know about problems in advance of deadlines; appeals after the fact will be met with appropriate sympathy and sufficient amounts of facial tissue, but nothing else.

4. Where to Find Stuff

• Syllabus.
• Integrity form.
• Projects.
• Notes.
• Grades.

Generated Sat Mar 15 11:22:16 2008