Presenting software engineering results using structured abstracts: a randomised experiment

When conducting a systematic literature review, researchers usually determine the relevance of primary studies on the basis of the title and abstract. However, experience indicates that the abstracts for many software engineering papers are of too poor a quality to be used for this purpose. A solution adopted in other domains is to employ structured abstracts to improve the quality of information provided. This study consists of a formal experiment to investigate whether structured abstracts are more complete and easier to understand than non-structured abstracts for papers that describe software engineering experiments. We constructed structured versions of the abstracts for a random selection of 25 papers describing software engineering experiments. The 64 participants were each presented with one abstract in its original unstructured form and one in a structured form, and for each one were asked to assess its clarity (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) and completeness (measured with a questionnaire that used 18 items). Based on a regression analysis that adjusted for participant, abstract, type of abstract seen first, knowledge of structured abstracts, software engineering role, and preference for conventional or structured abstracts, the use of structured abstracts increased the completeness score by 6.65 (SE 0.37, p < 0.001) and the clarity score by 2.98 (SE 0.23, p < 0.001). 57 participants reported their preferences regarding structured abstracts: 13 (23%) had no preference; 40 (70%) preferred structured abstracts; four preferred conventional abstracts. Many conventional software engineering abstracts omit important information. Our study is consistent with studies from other disciplines and confirms that structured abstracts can improve both information content and readability. Although care must be taken to develop appropriate structures for different types of article, we recommend that Software Engineering journals and conferences adopt structured abstracts.

Applying ergonomics to systems: some documented "lessons learned"

Based on evidence accumulated during the author's 45 years of professional experience, the author presents 23 important “lessons learned” regarding applying ergonomics to systems. Documented results from reported cases or other evidence are presented to validate each of these practical learning points.     

The segmented presentation of visually structured texts: Effects on text comprehension

The effects of a segmented presentation applied to a visually structured text were examined in the context of the explosion of small-screen devices. Empirical research investigating the influence of text signaling on text processing suggests that the text visual structure may influence comprehension by facilitating the construction of a coherent text representation. Undergraduate students were asked to read a text under different segmented conditions varying on the type of information provided about the text visual structure and on the segmentation unit. When the segmented presentation did not supply any information or when it only offered local information about the text visual structure, text comprehension depended on the segmentation unit. When the segmentation unit did not fit the text visual structure, an erroneous text representation was constructed, whereas the compatible segmentation unit led to a correct text comprehension. When the segmented presentation rendered the global text visual structure, the segmentation unit had no effect on comprehension and more readers constructed a correct and close text representation. Thus, the text visual structure seems to play a role in text comprehension and this role has to be taken into account for text segmented presentation.     

Biomac: Block structured programming using PDP-11 assembler language

Users of small computers must often program in assembler language. Macros are described which assist in the construction of block structured programs in assembler language. The macros are used in practical day-to-day programming in a cardiac electrophysiology laboratory in which the coarse grained control provided by the local FORTRAN compiler is not sufficient for, and even hinders, the writing of clear, easy to understand programs. The macros provide nestable control structures in place of the less structured transfers of conventional assembler language. The arithmetic and input/output control provided by the architecture of the machine is left fully available. The control structures implemented include conditional (IF, CASE), iteration (WHILE, REPEAT/UNTIL, FOR) and subroutine (PROC, CALL, etc.) constructs. No control of variable scope is provided. The macro implementation is discussed along with the code generated. There is a discussion of architectural features which allow the macros to be independent of specific register usage and addressing mode. Experience with use of the macros in a high-speed, real-time data acquisition and display environment is presented. We conclude that these macros are easy to use and assist in program readability and documentation.     

Filematch: a format for the interchange of computer-based files of structured data

The structure of data in computer-based files is information which may not be explicit in the files themselves, but is incorporated in part in the computer software designed to process the files. If a computer-processable file of data is to be processed using a “system” other than the one used to generate the file initially, conversion of the file to another format is normally necessary. A format, called FILEMATCH, is presented which for structures encountered in earth science data, incorporates the structural information in the files themselves, thus providing a medium for interchange of files among a variety of software systems.     

一种应用于中文文本聚类的适应值函数

文本聚类中的文本对象一般都是高维的,类的大小、密度各不相同,给聚类带来了很大难度.目前国内针对这些问题而提出的应用于遗传算法的适应值函数却很少,国外的通用目标函数比较复杂,而且在文本聚类上的效果一般.针对文本对象的特征提出了一种应用于遗传算法的适应值函数,它具有结构简单、易于计算、适用于高维对象的特点,并且能够帮助遗传算法更好避免陷入局部最优,达到比较准确地描述聚类结果的目的.通过实验与CS Meas-ure相比,聚类结果更优.     

SML: A structured musical language

Most of the problems with existing computer musicological systems have to do with the lack of capability for capturing the important notion of musical structure. In the new language SML (AStructuredMusicalLanguage), this aspect is given foremost attention as a technique for encoding a musical score in a clear and vivid form. Musical structures are patterned after the control structures of Pascal, together with instrument representations modeled on the idea of a Pascal record type. A complete example of the SML encoding of a Schumann song is included.Ronald E. Prather is the Caruth Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas 78284. Stephen Elliott is a doctoral candidate in Computer Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309.     

一个可应用于WEB图片检索的综合词条权重模式

随着WEB上图片资源的日益丰富,人们对WEB图片检索的需求也日趋强烈。基于文本的WEB图片检索技术,是人们当前检索WEB图片的主要手段。反映图片内容的各相关文字的重要性是不同的,需要通过一个词条的权重模式来确定什么词条对反映图片内容更重要。在现有的WEB图片检索系统中,对影响词条权重的因素考虑不够,权重模式较粗糙。文章在词条权重的研究中,更广泛地考虑了影响权重的因素,提出了一个“综合权重模式”,并通过数学语言予以精确描述。     

Applying VSM and LCS to develop an integrated text retrieval mechanism

Text retrieval has received a lot of attention in computer science. In the text retrieval field, the most widely-adopted similarity technique is using vector space models (VSM) to evaluate the weight of terms and using Cosine, Jaccard or Dice to measure the similarity between the query and the texts. However, these similarity techniques do not consider the effect of the sequence of the information. In this paper, we propose an integrated text retrieval (ITR) mechanism that takes the advantage of both VSM and longest common subsequence (LCS) algorithm. The key idea of the ITR mechanism is to use LCS to re-evaluate the weight of terms, so that the sequence and weight relationships between the query and the texts can be considered simultaneously. The results of mathematical analysis show that the ITR mechanism can increase the similarity on Jaccard and Dice similarity measurements when a sequential relationship exists between the query and the texts.     

Human factors/ergonomics implications of big data analytics: Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors annual lecture

In recent years, advances in sensor technology, connectedness and computational power have come together to produce huge data-sets. The treatment and analysis of these data-sets is known as big data analytics (BDA), and the somewhat related term data mining. Fields allied to human factors/ergonomics (HFE), e.g. statistics, have developed computational methods to derive meaningful, actionable conclusions from these data bases. This paper examines BDA, often characterised by volume, velocity and variety, giving examples of successful BDA use. This examination provides context by considering examples of using BDA on human data, using BDA in HFE studies, and studies of how people perform BDA. Significant issues for HFE are the reliance of BDA on correlation rather than hypotheses and theory, the ethics of BDA and the use of HFE in data visualisation.     

Statistical Properties of a Time-Series-Complexity Measure Applied to Stock Returns

We review a complexity measure () and its statistical properties, then apply it to four stock returns. Theta is a ratio of two correlation integral estimates, one taken before and one after shuffling the series to investigate. For random processes 1 while approaches zero for data with low complexity. Sixteen artificially generated series with different dynamical characteristics – each represented by three sample sizes – were employed to investigate 's statistical properties. Its distribution approaches normality as the sample size is increased. When applied to stock returns, those computed at every price change proved less complex than lower frequency one- and five-minute returns, implying that information is being lost by increasingly less frequent sampling.     

Enhancing skill in constructing scientific explanations using a structured argumentation scaffold in scientific inquiry

Constructing scientific explanations is necessary for students to engage in scientific inquiry. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of using a structured argumentation scaffold to enhance skill in constructing scientific explanations in the process of scientific inquiry. The proposed approach is designed to scaffold the following aspects of argumentation: the argumentation process, the explanation structuring, explanation construction, and explanation evaluation. A quasi-experiment was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the structured argumentation scaffold in developing skill in constructing scientific explanations and engaging in electronic dialogues. A web-based collaborative synchronous inquiry system, ASIS (Argumentative Scientific Inquiry System), was utilized to support students as they worked in groups to carry out inquiry tasks. Two intact sixth grade classes (n = 50) participated in the study. The data show that the ASIS with the structured argumentation scaffold helped students significantly improve their skills in constructing scientific explanations, make more dialogue moves for explanation and query, and use more of all four argument components. In addition, the use of warrants, one of the components of an argument, was found to be a critical variable in predicting students' competence with regard to constructing scientific explanations. The results provide references for further research and system development with regard to facilitating students' construction of scientific argumentation and explanations.     

Modbus协议在质量流量计组态软件中的应用

该文根据质量流量计的应用实际,介绍了智能仪表上普遍采用的Modbus通信原理,分析了请求、响应的消息格式,介绍了地址,功能码,寄存器地址,数据位和校验码的组成,并给出了软件开发中常用的CRC校验程序和十六进制浮点数转换程序。     

压电智能结构损伤检测的最小二乘支持向量机方法

实现损伤自检测功能是智能结构研究的主要内容之一,而损伤检测方法是关联损伤自检测功能的一个重要问题.提出了一种用于损伤检测的最小二乘支持向量机(LS-SVM)方法,并采用遗传算法对该LS-SVM的调整参数进行了优化.应用该LS-SVM对压电智能复合材料层板进行了冲击损伤位置检测,并与改进的BP网络进行了对比,结果表明:在相同性能指标下,LS-SVM有比BP网络更快的训练速度、更强的泛化能力,并且LS-SVM具有不敏感于网络输入矢量次序的变换,表现出较强的适应性,适宜在结构损伤检测传感器优化配置问题中建立损伤检测目标函数.LS-SVM为智能结构实现损伤自检测提供了更为先进的方法.     

利用VB6.0实现PC机与PLC的串行通信

本文介绍了如何利用并以实际项目为例，介绍了设计。Visual Basic6．0实现串行通信；PC机与PLC间串行通信的软件设计。     

Professional development to enhance teachers' practices in using information and communication technologies (ICTs) as cognitive tools: Lessons learned from a design-based research study

Technology integration in K-12 classrooms is usually overly teacher-centered and has insufficient impact on students' learning, especially in enhancing students' higher-order cognitive skills. The purpose of this project is to facilitate science teachers' use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as cognitive tools to shift their practices from traditional teacher-centered methods to constructivist, student-centered ones. This paper describes the outcomes and lessons learned from an application of design-based research (DBR) in the implementation and refinement of a teacher professional development (PD) program that is a key component of the overall project. This DBR study involved 25 middle-school science teachers from 24 schools whose implementation of cognitive tools with their students in science classrooms and virtually through a social networking site were observed over four years. A mixed-methodology was utilized to examine the impact of the cognitive tools intervention on teachers' classroom practices and students' development of new literacy skills. Identifying reusable design principles related to technology integration was another focus of the DBR study. The results revealed teachers' positive changes in their classroom practices by gradually allowing students to take control over the use of technology, and positive impact on students' ICT skills and science learning. Design principles for future professional development programs aimed at preparing teachers to adopt a cognitive tools approach are described.     

Applying a fusion of wearable sensors and a cognitive inspired architecture to real-time ergonomics analysis of manual assembly tasks

High value manufacturing systems still require ergonomically intensive manual activities. Examples include the aerospace industry where the fitting of pipes and wiring into confined spaces in aircraft wings is still a manual operation. In these environments, workers are subjected to ergonomically awkward forces and postures for long periods of time. This leads to musculoskeletal injuries that severely limit the output of a shopfloor leading to loss of productivity. The use of tools such as wearable sensors could provide a way to track the ergonomics of workers in real time. However, an information processing architecture is required in order to ensure that data is processed in real time and in a manner that meaningful action points are retrieved for use by workers.In this work, based on the Adaptive Control of Thought—Rational (ACT-R) cognitive framework, we propose a Cognitive Architecture for Wearable Sensors (CAWES); a wearable sensor system and cognitive architecture that is capable of taking data streams from multiple wearable sensors on a worker’s body and fusing them to enable digitisation, tracking and analysis of human ergonomics in real time on a shopfloor. Furthermore, through tactile feedback, the architecture is able to inform workers in real time when ergonomics rules are broken. The architecture is validated through the use of an aerospace case study undertaken in laboratory conditions. The results from the validation are encouraging and in the future, further tests will be performed in an actual working environment.     

Integration of human factors and ergonomics during medical device design and development: It's all about communication

Manufacturers of interactive medical devices, such as infusion pumps, need to ensure that devices minimise the risk of unintended harm during use. However, development teams face challenges in incorporating Human Factors. The aim of the research reported here was to better understand the constraints under which medical device design and development take place. We report the results of a qualitative study based on 19 semi-structured interviews with professionals involved in the design, development and deployment of interactive medical devices. A thematic analysis was conducted. Multiple barriers to designing for safety and usability were identified. In particular, we identified barriers to communication both between the development organisation and the intended users and between different teams within the development organisation. We propose the use of mediating representations. Artefacts such as personas and scenarios, known to provide integration across multiple perspectives, are an essential component of designing for safety and usability.     

应用多线程技术实现串行通信与信号采集识别的同步

在Windows多任务操作系统中，多线程在一起适当地协调工作称为线程同步。该文应用串行通信技术对多台接收机进行频率扫描控制的同时，根据Win32操作系统支持多线程和多进程的特征，进行信号的实时采集与识别，实现串行通信与信号采集识别的同步。