Test-Retest Errors in Programming

In an interesting study, Katz and Anderson [1987-1988] had students generate LISP Productions. If the student got it right, they had a 97% chance of getting it right again. However if a student got the production wrong, there was only a 22% chance that they would get it wrong again. In general, we should treat errors as execution problems but not always as problems with basic knowledge.
 
Study Details
Error Rate
Katz & Anderson [1987-1988] 69 students who knew LISP reasonably well. Probability of an error in a LISP production if the student did the production successfully the previous time.
3%
Katz & Anderson [1987-1988] 69 students who knew LISP reasonably well. Probability of an error in a LISP production if the student did the production unsuccessfully the previous time.
22%

Copyright 1997-2008 Panko.