Comparison of Fault Classes in Specification-Based Testing

Published

June 1, 2004

Author(s)

Vadim Okun, Paul E. Black, Y Yesha

Abstract

Our results extending Kuhn's fault class hierarchy provide a justification for the focus of fault-based testing strategies on detecting particular faults and ignoring others. We develop a novel analytical technique that allows us to elegantly prove that the hierarchy applies to arbitrary expressions, not just those in disjunctive normal form. We also use the technique to extend the hierarchy to a wider range of fault classes. To demonstrate broad applicability, we compare faults in practical situations and analyze previous results. In particular, using our technique, we show that the basic meaningful impact strategy of Weyuker et al. tests for stuck-at faults, not just variable negation faults.

Citation

Information and Software Technology

Volume

46

Issue

8

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

fault classes, fault-based testing, Kuhn's hierarchy, specification-based testing

Citation

Okun, V. , Black, P. and Yesha, Y. (2004), Comparison of Fault Classes in Specification-Based Testing, Information and Software Technology (Accessed January 23, 2026)