A systematic literature review of how mutation testing supports quality assurance processes.

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Title: A systematic literature review of how mutation testing supports quality assurance processes.
Authors: Zhu, Qianqian1 qianqian.zhu@tudelft.nl, Panichella, Annibale1, Zaidman, Andy1
Source: Software Testing: Verification & Reliability. Sep2018, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p1-1. 39p.
Subjects: Mutation testing of computer software, Computer software testing, Debugging, Electronic data processing, Data editing
Abstract: Summary: Mutation testing has been very actively investigated by researchers since the 1970s, and remarkable advances have been achieved in its concepts, theory, technology, and empirical evidence. While the most influential realisations have been summarised by existing literature reviews, we lack insight into how mutation testing is actually applied. Our goal is to identify and classify the main applications of mutation testing and analyse the level of replicability of empirical studies related to mutation testing. To this aim, this paper provides a systematic literature review on the application perspective of mutation testing based on a collection of 191 papers published between 1981 and 2015. In particular, we analysed in which quality assurance processes mutation testing is used, which mutation tools and which mutation operators are employed. Additionally, we also investigated how the inherent core problems of mutation testing, ie, the equivalent mutant problem and the high computational cost, are addressed during the actual usage. The results show that most studies use mutation testing as an assessment tool targeting unit tests, and many of the supporting techniques for making mutation testing applicable in practice are still underdeveloped. Based on our observations, we made 9 recommendations for future work, including an important suggestion on how to report mutation testing in testing experiments in an appropriate manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Software Testing: Verification & Reliability is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: A systematic literature review of how mutation testing supports quality assurance processes.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhu%2C+Qianqian%22">Zhu, Qianqian</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> qianqian.zhu@tudelft.nl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Panichella%2C+Annibale%22">Panichella, Annibale</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zaidman%2C+Andy%22">Zaidman, Andy</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Software+Testing%3A+Verification+%26+Reliability%22">Software Testing: Verification & Reliability</searchLink>. Sep2018, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p1-1. 39p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mutation+testing+of+computer+software%22">Mutation testing of computer software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software+testing%22">Computer software testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Debugging%22">Debugging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+data+processing%22">Electronic data processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+editing%22">Data editing</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Summary: Mutation testing has been very actively investigated by researchers since the 1970s, and remarkable advances have been achieved in its concepts, theory, technology, and empirical evidence. While the most influential realisations have been summarised by existing literature reviews, we lack insight into how mutation testing is actually applied. Our goal is to identify and classify the main applications of mutation testing and analyse the level of replicability of empirical studies related to mutation testing. To this aim, this paper provides a systematic literature review on the application perspective of mutation testing based on a collection of 191 papers published between 1981 and 2015. In particular, we analysed in which quality assurance processes mutation testing is used, which mutation tools and which mutation operators are employed. Additionally, we also investigated how the inherent core problems of mutation testing, ie, the equivalent mutant problem and the high computational cost, are addressed during the actual usage. The results show that most studies use mutation testing as an assessment tool targeting unit tests, and many of the supporting techniques for making mutation testing applicable in practice are still underdeveloped. Based on our observations, we made 9 recommendations for future work, including an important suggestion on how to report mutation testing in testing experiments in an appropriate manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Software Testing: Verification & Reliability is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/stvr.1675
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 39
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mutation testing of computer software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer software testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Debugging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electronic data processing
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      – SubjectFull: Data editing
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: A systematic literature review of how mutation testing supports quality assurance processes.
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            NameFull: Zhu, Qianqian
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            NameFull: Panichella, Annibale
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            NameFull: Zaidman, Andy
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            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: Sep2018
              Type: published
              Y: 2018
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            – TitleFull: Software Testing: Verification & Reliability
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