Revisiting Process versus Product Metrics: a Large Scale Analysis

Numerous methods can build predictive models from software data. However, what methods and conclusions should we endorse as we move from analytics in-the-small (dealing with a handful of projects) to analytics in-the-large (dealing with hundreds of projects)? To answer this question, we recheck prior small-scale results (about process versus product metrics for defect prediction and the granularity of metrics) using 722,471 commits from 700 Github projects. We find that some analytics in-the-small conclusions still hold when scaling up to analytics in-the-large. For example, like prior work, we see that process metrics are better predictors for defects than product metrics (best process/product-based learners respectively achieve recalls of 98\%/44\% and AUCs of 95\%/54\%, median values). That said, we warn that it is unwise to trust metric importance results from analytics in-the-small studies since those change dramatically when moving to analytics in-the-large. Also, when reasoning in-the-large about hundreds of projects, it is better to use predictions from multiple models (since single model predictions can become confused and exhibit a high variance).Comment: 36 pages, 12 figures and 5 table

Empirical evaluation of the effects of experience on code quality and programmer productivity: an exploratory study

There is a widespread belief in both SE and other branches of science that experience helps professionals to improve their performance. However, cases have been reported where experience not only does not have a positive influence but sometimes even degrades the performance of professionals

Essential competencies of exceptional professional software engineers

Department Head: Rodney R. Oldehoeft.1991 Fall.Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-144).This dissertation presents a differential study of exceptional and non-exceptional professional software engineers in the work environment. The first phase of the study reports an in-depth review of 20 engineers. The study reports biographical data, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test results, and Critical Incident Interview data for 10 exceptional and 10 non-exceptional subjects. Phase 1 concludes with a description of 38 essential competencies of software engineers. Phase 2 of this study surveys 129 engineers. Phase 2 reports biographical data for the sample and concludes that the only simple demographic predictor of performance is years of experience in software. This variable is able to correctly classify 63% of the cases studied. Phase 2 also has the participants complete a Q-Sort of the 38 competencies identified in Phase 1. Nine of these competencies are differentially related to engineer performance. A10 variable Canonical Discriminant Function is derived which is capable of correctly classifying 81% of the cases studied. This function consists of three biographical variables and seven competencies. The competencies related to Personal Attributes and Interpersonal Skills are identified as the most significant factors contributing to performance differences

Leaping the Hurdles: Using an Ecological Approach to Develop Physical Education for Autistic Students: an Action Research Study

Literature demonstrates how physical activity can support the needs of autistic students. Physical activity includes all forms of physical education (PE) and school provides an important environment for physical activity in PE lessons. However, for many autistic students, these are inaccessible. This study describes how PE practice was improved collaboratively in an autism school by exploring how seven teachers, 34 teaching assistants and one senior leader engaged in action research during one academic year. Sixteen students were asked about their perspectives. Teacher and TA questionnaires revealed that PE practice pre-intervention was unfit for purpose due to insufficient subject knowledge and confidence. Thematic analysis provided direction for an intervention which included staff training, timetable changes and formation of a working party. Planning and a resource bank were created during the intervention, with working party minutes providing evidence of the process. Three semi-structured interviews with PE working party members’ post-intervention unearthed multifactorial experiences and understandings of PE for autistic students. Student preferences did not match staff perceptions which characterised a deficit model of needs. A pre- and post-intervention audit confirmed how developing a PE co-ordinator role improved practice and although staff valued PE and believed there should be a PE teacher, they maintained class-based teaching. Thus, PE lessons were outsourced post-intervention. Viewed through an ecological lens, findings indicated how teacher agency and policy discourse interacted across interconnected systems. Complex factors of environment and individual dispositions impacted staff engagement, and organisational structures of funding and staffing influenced staff enactment of the PE intervention. Further research and strategic direction are required to map PE initiatives focussing on change in a local context with wider implications of initial teacher training and models of professional learning. Recommendations for PE practice in autism schools and beyond are discussed and a pathway for pedagogical change is presented

Revisión sistemática de la calidad del software en prácticas ágiles

El desarrollo de software ágil representa un alejamiento importante de los enfoques tradicionales basados en una detallada planificación. Una pregunta fundamental para la mayoría de las organizaciones es saber cuáles prácticas ágiles ayudan, en menor o mayor grado, a mejorar la calidad del producto software. En este trabajo se muestra el resultado de una revisión sistemática de la literatura que intenta presentar los resultados de estudios empíricos relativos a la evaluación de la calidad en prácticas ágiles publicadas hasta el año 2014. Los estudios encontrados se analizaron siguiendo los requerimientos de calidad definidos en estándares como el ISO/IEC 25010, se catalogaron en cinco grupos: programación en pares, desarrollos guiados por pruebas, extreme programming, scrum y otras prácticas ágiles; finalmente los hallazgos se compararon e interpretaron. Los resultados de la mayoría de los estudios sugieren que las prácticas ágiles pueden ayudar a mejorar la calidad del producto si son aplicadas correctamente. Los hallazgos significativos de este estudio pueden ser usados como directrices para los interesados en sus propios escenarios.Tesi

Community Maintenance Programs for Men who have Sexually Offended

This research looked at Community Maintenance Programs (CMPs) for high-risk men who have committed a sexual offence. Qualitative results revealed the importance of a positive psychology and humanistic approach, built upon desistance theories and reintegrative principles. A new framework for CMPs is proposed utilising Self-Determination Theory and Transformative Learning Theory

An Outcome Evaluation of the Brunswick Correctional Center Sex Offender Residential Treatment (SORT) Program

There is much disagreement among clinicians, politicians, the general public, and researchers about how best to manage sex offenders. Many states have taken punitive approaches, enacting sex-offender registration and civil commitment statutes. Mental health professionals discourage these strategies and call for more treatment. The Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) provided prison-based, cognitive-behavioral treatment within a relapse prevention framework to incarcerated sex offenders through the Sex Offender Residential Treatment (SORT) program. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of this program to reduce recidivism. Specifically, the study assessed whether participation in SORT (both treatment as assigned and treatment completion) reduced the likelihood of re-offending after release from incarceration. In addition, the study aimed to distinguish whether treatment had differential effects for two types of sex offenders - rapists and child molesters. This study compared a group of 97 male inmates who received sex offender treatment through DOC to a comparison group of 64 inmates who did not receive treatment. All subjects were released from prison during the period February 2001 through April 2004. The evaluation utilized existing data maintained by DOC. From this database, a variety of predictors of sex offender recidivism were measured, including the Static-99 to account for between-group differences in recidivism risk. Official reports of any new arrests and probation violations for a minimum of a 12-month follow-up period were used to measure recidivism. There was no indication that sex offender treatment decreased the probability of recidivism. Specifically, treatment participants had a greater prevalence of re-arrests for sex offenses, non-sex offenses, and a composite measure for any new offense, and a lower prevalence of probation violations, than controls. In the multivariate equations, treatment significantly reduced the likelihood of being violated on supervision during the follow-up period but this was only applicable to child molesters. Treatment completion did not substantially alter these findings. Rapists were significantly less likely to re-offend sexually than child molesters, whereas they were significantly more likely than child molesters to be re-arrested for a new non-sex crime. Several aspects related to the type of inmates sampled, the institutional program itself, and the community supervision component were discussed as potential explanations for the null finding that sex offender treatment was generally ineffective at reducing recidivism. This research suggested there are substantial differences in the criminogenic needs and responsivity of rapists and child molesters; however, current treatment for sex offenders was developed primarily for the latter and is inadequate to treat and manage primary rapists. Limitations of the research were discussed, including the small sample size and the short follow-up period. It was noted that correctional administrators should incorporate an evaluation design into the planning phase of treatment programs so that the processes of program implementation and operation can be monitored rigorously and appropriate data can be gathered consistently to establish program efficacy. Additionally, data on dynamic risk factors and community supervision processes should be collected to obtain a more accurate account of recidivism and the factors associated with these outcomes

Mental Imagery and Body Image in Female Varsity Rowers

This study explored the relationship between body image perceptions and mental imagery among female collegiate varsity rowers. More specifically, the study investigated the body image perceptions and use of mental imagery between high skilled and low skilled rowers. It was hypothesized that rowers with a positive body image would use a more external imagery perspective while those with a negative body image would employ more of an internal imagery perspective. It was also hypothesized that those having a higher skill level would be more likely to image themselves internally whereas those at a lower skill level would be more likely to image themselves externally. Finally, it was hypothesized that there would be no difference in imagery perspective between genders. A total of 24 subjects volunteered and completed the study: nineteen females and five males. Due to the few males that participated, the male data were omitted from all analyses. All subjects were sophomore, junior, or senior varsity rowers on a collegiate rowing team. Following informed consent, each rower completed three body image measures, two mental imagery measures, and a demographics questionnaire over a three day period. They also had anthropometric measurements taken of height, weight, skinfolds, and body circumference measures. The head coach completed a questionnaire, which asked the coach to rate each athlete\u27s technique, compare the athlete to previous athletes, and rank them in comparison to their current teammates. Athletes were then classified as high skilled or low skilled athletes based on their coach\u27s perception of technique rating and ranking as well as their ergometer performance on the rowing machine. After splitting the athletes into high and low skilled groups, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with two levels was run. The results of this study found that the high and low skilled groups did not differ significantly in imagery perspective except for the kinesthetic portion of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R). On two of the body image measures - the Body Esteem Scale (BES) and the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) - the groups did not significantly differ in any areas of body image. The third body image measure, the Physical Self Description Questionnaire (PSDQ), did show significance in one of the subcategories - PSDQ flexibility - but the other subcategories and the total score were not significantly different between groups. There were selected significant correlations between imagery scores and body awareness scores. In conclusion, the higher skilled rowers differed from the lower skilled group in only the MIQ-R kinesthetic scale and on the PSDQ flexibility scale. These results indicate only minimal differences between higher and lower skilled rowers in body image and a complex association among body image measures and imagery ability

Words into Actions - does a networking skills workshop have a quantifiable effect on the mindset and actions of participants?

This paper seeks to discover whether anecdotal feedback about the value of a workshop-style teaching intervention would be supported by quantitative research. The author used a referral mechanism to build a cohort of highly effective networkers whose input was used to develop a 34 question, nine factor networking inventory. These nine factors were derived through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and differ from the inductive typology assumed at the outset. These factors are: Altruism, Clarity of Purpose, Contact Maintenance, Contact Management, Engagement, Locus of Control, Openness to Help, Persistence and Recall Ability. The inventory was subsequently tested for its ability to discriminate between this group of highly effective networkers and others, and succeeded in doing so at a statistically significant level for seven of the nine factors. Having demonstrated its discriminatory ability, the author applied the inventory in a ‘before and after’ study to workshop participants and showed that the intervention resulted in a significant but selective improvement in inventory scores, with moderate or large effect size, for eight of the nine factors at one month follow-up