Open AccessA Proposition for a Theory of Testing: An Abstract Approach to the Testing Process
Author(s) -
Luc Bougé
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
daimi pb
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2245-9316
pISSN - 0105-8517
DOI - 10.7146/dpb.v12i160.7434
Subject(s) - preorder , equivalence (formal languages) , computer science , process (computing) , context (archaeology) , reliability (semiconductor) , programming language , reliability engineering , theoretical computer science , mathematics , discrete mathematics , engineering , paleontology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
We describe an abstract model for the program testing process, based on first-order egalitary logic. We define the notion of a battery of tests for a given testing context. Its properties are studied: reliability, validity, bias and acceptability. A preorder is defined and studied, which leads to an equivalence relation among batteries of tests. This equivalence turns out to be of great interest, both theoretical and practical. We show the application of this model to some classical questions: effective (automatic) test generation, test optimization, quality assessment of the testing process, and relationships between program proving and program testing.