Typographic style is more than cosmetic

ABSTRACT

There is disagreement about the role and importance of typographic style (source code formatting and commenting) in program comprehension. Results from experiments and opinions in programming style books are mixed. This article presents principles of typographic style consistent and compatible with the results of program comprehension studies. Four experiments demonstrate that the typographic style principles embodied in the book format significantly aid program comprehension and reduce maintenance effort. —Authors' Abstract

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Languages