Fault-Based Testing in the Absence of an Oracle

Proceedings of the 25th Annual International Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC '01),
IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos, CA, pp. 172-178 (2001)

Fault-Based Testing in the Absence of an Oracle ¹

T.Y. Chen ², T.H. Tse ³, and Zhi Quan Zhou ⁴

[paper from IEEE Xplore | paper from IEEE digital library | postprint]

ABSTRACT

Although testing is the most popular method for assuring software quality, there are two recognized limitations, known as the reliable test set problem and the oracle problem. Fault-based testing is an attempt by Morell to alleviate the reliable test set problem. In this paper, we propose to enhance fault-based testing to address the oracle problem as well. We present an integrated method that combines metamorphic testing with fault-based testing using real and symbolic inputs.
Keywords: Fault-based testing, metamorphic testing, oracle problem, symbolic execution.

1. This research is supported in part by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council and The University of Hong Kong Committee on Research and Conference Grants.

2. Centre for Software Analysis and Testing, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn 3122, Australia.

3. (Corresponding author.)

Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Email:

4. Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

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