research-article

Compiler error messages: what can help novices?

Authors:

Marie-Hélène Nienaltowski,

Michela Pedroni,

Bertrand MeyerAuthors Info & Claims

SIGCSE '08: Proceedings of the 39th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education

Pages 168 - 172

https://doi.org/10.1145/1352135.1352192

Published: 12 March 2008 Publication History

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Abstract

Novices find it difficult to understand and use compiler error messages. It is useful to refine this observation and study the effect of different message styles on how well and quickly students identify errors in programs. For example, does an increased level of detail simplify the understanding of errors and their correction? We analyzed messages produced by a number of compilers for five programming languages, and grouped them into three style categories from their level of detail and presentation format, and correlated the level of experience and error type with performance and speed of response. The study involved two groups of students taking an introductory programming course at two different institutions; they used messages in these three styles to debug erroneous code. The results indicate that more detailed messages do not necessarily simplify the understanding of errors but that it matters more where information is placed and how it is structured.

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Cited By

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Dzhatdoyev SDes Rosiers JMorazán M(2025)Error Messages for Students Taught Using a Systematic Program Design CurriculumTrends in Functional Programming10.1007/978-3-031-74558-4_9(195-219)Online publication date: 10-Jan-2025
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74558-4_9
Qian YWu Y(2024)Exploring the Effectiveness of Data-Driven Learning Materials for Promoting Student Performance in Introductory ProgrammingIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2024.345464312(125170-125178)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3454643
Lin YWeintrop DMckenna J(2023)Switch ModeProceedings of the 2023 Symposium on Learning, Design and Technology10.1145/3594781.3594803(114-118)Online publication date: 23-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3594781.3594803
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Index Terms

Compiler error messages: what can help novices?
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education

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Novices find it difficult to understand and use compiler error messages. It is useful to refine this observation and study the effect of different message styles on how well and quickly students identify errors in programs. For example, does an ...

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Published In

SIGCSE '08: Proceedings of the 39th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education

March 2008

606 pages

ISBN:9781595937995

DOI:10.1145/1352135

General Chairs:
J. D. Dougherty
Haverford College
,
Susan Rodger
Duke University
,
Program Chairs:
Sue Fitzgerald
Metropolitan State University
,
Mark Guzdial
Georgia Institute of Technology

ACM SIGCSE Bulletin Volume 40, Issue 1
SIGCSE 08
March 2008
549 pages
ISSN:0097-8418
DOI:10.1145/1352322
Issue’s Table of Contents

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

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Published: 12 March 2008

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March 12 - 15, 2008

OR, Portland, USA

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Cited By

View all

Dzhatdoyev SDes Rosiers JMorazán M(2025)Error Messages for Students Taught Using a Systematic Program Design CurriculumTrends in Functional Programming10.1007/978-3-031-74558-4_9(195-219)Online publication date: 10-Jan-2025
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74558-4_9
Qian YWu Y(2024)Exploring the Effectiveness of Data-Driven Learning Materials for Promoting Student Performance in Introductory ProgrammingIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2024.345464312(125170-125178)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3454643
Lin YWeintrop DMckenna J(2023)Switch ModeProceedings of the 2023 Symposium on Learning, Design and Technology10.1145/3594781.3594803(114-118)Online publication date: 23-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3594781.3594803
Tsunoda KMasuhara HCong YLaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Mind the Error Message: An Inverted Quiz Format to Direct Learner's Attention to Error MessagesProceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3587102.3588823(382-388)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3587102.3588823
Karvelas IDillane JBecker BChoppella VPhatak DLuxton-Reilly ACraig M(2023)Programmers' Views on IDE Compilation MechanismsProceedings of the ACM Conference on Global Computing Education Vol 110.1145/3576882.3617915(98-104)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3576882.3617915
Taylor ARenzella JVassar ADoyle MStephenson BDorn BSoh LBattestilli L(2023)Foundations FirstProceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3545945.3569768(346-352)Online publication date: 2-Mar-2023
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Rodrigo MTablatin C(2023)How Do Programming Students Read and Act upon Compiler Error Messages?Augmented Cognition10.1007/978-3-031-35017-7_11(153-168)Online publication date: 9-Jul-2023
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35017-7_11
Zhu SZhang ZQin BXiong ASong LDwyer MDamian DZeller A(2022)Learning and programming challenges of rustProceedings of the 44th International Conference on Software Engineering10.1145/3510003.3510164(1269-1281)Online publication date: 21-May-2022
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Lam JFang EAlmansoori MChatterjee RSoosai Raj AMerkle LDoyle MSheard JSoh LDorn B(2022)Identifying Gaps in the Secure Programming Knowledge and Skills of StudentsProceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education - Volume 110.1145/3478431.3499391(703-709)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2022
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Rouhani MLillebo MFarshchian VDivitini M(2022)Learning to Program: an In-service Teachers’ Perspective2022 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON)10.1109/EDUCON52537.2022.9766781(123-132)Online publication date: 28-Mar-2022
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On Designing Programming Error Messages for Novices: Readability and its Constituent Factors

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