Running head: QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SOFTWARE TESTING1 QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SOFTWARE TESTING19 Section 1-3 of Thesis Quality Assurance in Software Testing Theodora Sochima Duru Harrisburg University...

Running head: QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SOFTWARE TESTING    1
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SOFTWARE TESTING    9
Section 1-3 of Thesis
Quality Assurance in Software Testing
Theodora Sochima Duru
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Proposal Submitted to Prof. Stanley C. Nwoji
In Fulfilment of GRAD 699
Late Summer 2021
Table of Contents
Abstract    3
Introduction    4
Background    4
Problem Statement    5
Purpose statement    5
Research Questions    6
Hypothesis    7
Significance of the study    7
Definition of Terms    8
Ethical Considerations    9
Delimitations    10
Limitations    10
Literature Review    10
Researchable headings    10
Factors affecting the study    10
Review of Methodologies    11
Review of Theories    11
Software Testing    12
Quality Assurance and Software Testing (ST)    14
Software Quality Assurance (SQA)    15
Theoretical Framework    18
Methodology    20
Research Worldwide View    20
Research Design    20
Research Strategy    20
Sampling Population    21
Data Collection    22
Data Analysis Techniques    24
References ……………………………………………………………………………………… 23
Abstract    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: This abstract does not have all the components of a research abstract.
The importance of software testing has increased in popularity in the software development industry. Researchers such as MD.S. HossainNaik and Tripathy (20118); Rai, Song, and (Jamil ,2016)Troutt (1998)explain theimportance of promoting quality assurance (QA) in software testing, arguing that people's dependence on software has increased the need to protect them from the risk of software errors. However, although QA in software testing has been studied widely, the adopted perspectives do not provide a direct explanation of the importancevalue of its importance in software testing. The project has addressed the concept of quality assurance and software testing and how they contribute to improving product life and functionality. This project has utilized material by Partou, H., Smith, LChandrasekar, Rajesh, and Rajesh (20184); Vicary S, Young A, Hicks S;Naik and Tripathy (2011);Sánchez-Gordón, MRai, Song, & Troutt (19982020); Quesada López, C. U.,Tuteja and Dubey (20192) to identify the relationship between the two concepts and ways in which the practice of quality assurance can help to improve the role of testing in the software development industry. I will argue that undertaking QA in software testing is a crucial practice in the software development cycle in that it assists to identify defects, vulnerabilities, and bugs to reduce the risk of defects and maximize user experience. In conclusion, a close examination of the relationship between software testing and QA will shed light on the increasing issue of unidentified errors and defects in the software development cycle.
Keywords:Quality Assurance (QA), Software Testing, Systems Development Life Cycle (SLDC)
Introduction
Background
In recent past, software testing has grown in popularity and importance in the software development industry.Shakya, S., & Smys, SChandrasekar, Rajesh, and Rajesh(20142020) define software testing as a comprehensive concept that encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at achieving various objectives during the software development cycle and beyond. It is an influential component of determining the quality of the software. It is a broad field that involves an array of non-technical and technical areas such as maintenance, design and implementation, specification, process and management, and issues evidenced in software engineering. Partou, H., Smith, L(2018Naik and Tripathy (2011) describe the practice as the process of executing a system or program with the intention of identifying errors. Unlike other processes where outputs are often produced and inputs received, software testing entails a different process, with regards to how it fails. While other physical systems often fail in a fixed or identified number of ways, software fails in many inexplicable ways. Rai, Song, & Jamil,(2017)Troutt, (1998)state identifying all the diverse modes of software failure is important due to its inherent complexity. As a result of this intricacy and infeasibility, it is equally challenging to discover design defects in the software. Besides, considering that digital systems and software are not continuous, it is not sufficient to test boundary values to guarantee correctness. Although all possible values often need to be verified and tested, undertaking a complete testing program is impractical. It is thus important to incorporate software quality assurance (SQA).
Taking the complexity of software testing into consideration, Shakya, S., & Smys, S(2020)Tuteja and Dubey (2012) explain that incorporating quality assurance in software testing helps to ensure that the final product matches the stipulated company’s quality standards. Further to this,(Karhu, 2019)Rai, Song, and Troutt (1998)explain that software quality assurance helps to foster quality by testing the product for any problems through analysis of activities associated with the implementation of various standards, procedures, and processes. Understanding that quality assurance plays a significant role in reducing the infeasibility of software testing, it is important to undertake further research to appreciate the relationship between these two concepts. In this line of thought, the research will embark to identify and analyze the role of quality assurance in software testing and the inherent relationships between the two concepts. The research will be guided by a few research questions.    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: There is an overuse of this article.
Problem Statement    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: The problem to be solved is not clearly stated. What problem do you intend to solve?
Software testing is an important step of software development cycle. Through testing, flaws in the software are identified and rectified. Thus, the testing process ensures the final product is of a high quality and achieves the intended functions. On the other hand, quality assurance is a continuous process that entails checking the quality of the software at each stage of development. Whereas software testing occurs only at a single phase, quality assurance occurs throughout the entire project cycle. Software testing does not sufficiently identify issues in the developed software. Most software developers fail to improve the correctness of the software and at the end, they have tomust begin the coding process again. This problem increases the cost and time taken to develop the software. Developers have failed to incorporate quality assurance in the development process. Thus, this research has tomust show the important importanceof including quality assurance in each step of software development instead of focusing primarily on software testing as the primary step. The research intends to clearly show how inluding quality assurance in each step of software development lifecycle will let the developers to progress towards building the expected productrather than evaluating the correctness at the end of development and failing to incorporate desired product quality.
Purpose Statement
The primary issue explored in this research is failure of software developers to incorporate quality assurance as one of the major steps of the software development life cycle (Hossain, 2018). As a result, software developers do not realize errors at each stage of software development. Instead, they focus on software testing at the end of the software development cycle. Identification of an error at this stage can force the developers to begin coding again, thereby raising the costs and time taken to complete the project. Therefore, this research will explore the significance of including quality assurance in software testing.    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: Cite scholarly evidence for this claim?
This research will be based on a qualitative research design. The aim will be to collect qualitative data that can help understand the perceptions towards quality assurance in software testing. The study will target 18 computer experts with interests in software development. The primary method of data collection will be interviewing. The interviews will involve interrogating participants on the importance of software quality testing. Interviewing is the best methodology for answering the research questions. Through interviews, it will be easy to determine the perceptions or the participants on effectiveness of software quality testing as a continuous process of software development.
Research Questions
    Software development is often associated with issues between the development team, which can affect the product quality (Alferidah, S. K., & Ahmed, S, 2020). The process may also face issues associated with unstable testing environment or the absence of testing. Thus, it is important to ensure that quality assurance gets performed in each step of the software development process. To achieve this requirement, this study will delve to understand the most effective software testing and quality assurance practices through these research questions.     Comment by Stanley Nwoji: Cite articles that support this claim.
RQ1: What are the best software testing and QA practices used by developers to assure quality product?    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: Can we not answer this question with a literature review? What is novel about this question?
This objective will identify the best software testing approaches and the purpose of software testing and quality assurance practices in detecting errors.
As software applications are becoming complicated to handle, rapid development and incorporation of quality assurance mechanisms will help to eliminate the challenges evidenced in the testing environment (Alferidah, S. K., & Ahmed, S2020Tuteja & Dubey, 2012). From the identification of pertinent project elements to the creation of automated test cases, there is need to streamline various operational aspects to achieve successful outcomes. This approach will help to identify the elements that constitute software quality and the factors that can affect such quality, guided by this research question.
RQ2: What elements constitute software quality and what are the factors that affect software quality in order to be consider software quality at every stage of software development lifecycle?    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: What is novel about this question?
Understanding these elements will help to maximize productivity and ensure the production of the highest quality of the software product.
Hypothesis
· Quality assurance in software testing will improve the process of software development and reduce the risk of errors.
SSignificance of the study    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: This section must show that your research is important. You do so by showing how your study will cover gaps in literature, theory, and methodology. You must show how your study affects other areas of knowledge and how the novel findings will transform academia and society.
    Understanding the relationship between quality assurance and software testing will help testers and software development companies to ensure that the developed product measures up to the expected outcome. Undertaking this study will help the developers to eliminate the likelihood of errors in the final products in terms of functionality and design. Just like development and design, understanding the role of QA in software testing will help to integrate these concepts in the software development lifecycle just like other pertinent processes such as development and design. Besides, the surge in mobile device applications has caused testers to evidence challenges in keeping up with the highest degree of accuracy. As Kumar, M., & Rashid, E. (2018)Naik and Tripathy (2011)explain, the availability of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, predictive analysis and virtual reality have created the need for testers to achieve the highest degree of software quality. Thus, understanding the relationship between software testing and quality assurance will enable testers to appreciate an alternative mechanism to promote software quality amid the rapid changes evidenced in modern technologies. Kumar, M., & Rashid, E. (2018)Naik and Tripathy (2011) point out that the people have continued to depend on and embrace modern technologies to execute their tasks. As such, this level of dependence and trust in software necessitates the verification of its correct actions to ensure the protection of people and their companies. As explained by Kumar, M., & Rashid, E. (2018)Tuteja, and Dubey (2012), the degree to which one tests software for correct conduct is determined by the level at which it gets tested. Systematic testing, particularly when assisted by appropriate tools, can improve the efficiency of system verification and boost confidence in the system's correct operation. In addition, automated testing will help the user to save time and money by reducing the amount of testing that one must do.
The significance of this study using qualitative approach is that it evaluates the quality of product during software testing in order to gain deep insight into how and to what extent it is relevant to consider quality assurance during software testing rather than consideringit at th end of software development lifecycle. The broad significance is to identify the areas where quality assurance can be considered within testing and identifying software methodologies and quality assurance practices. It further describes the rle and iportanc of quality assurance during software testing. To certain extent, it identifies the process maturity level of organizations in general, and the key areas where quality assurance should be mandatory. The research covers all the gaps in literature and theory which make the process of quality assurance to be included within software development. Lastly, this research shall aid to offer future research direction in software quality assurance field.
Definition of Terms
    Quality Assurance: .
    Alferidah, S. K., & Ahmed, S(2020) Elassy (2015) defines quality assurance as a strategy used to achieve and maintain a high level of the required standards or quality of a service or product. Thus, quality assurance ensures the products or services provided have a high quality and meet the value of money used in their acquisition.
    Software Development:.    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: You must use existing literature to define terms.
    According to (Salve, S. M., Samreen, S. N., & Khatri-Valmik, N., 2018), Software development can be defined as activities associated with designing, creating, deploying, and supporting any software using the recommended tools. Based on this definition, software development can be linked to any process that involves programming, designing, documenting, testing, and fixing errors in a software.
    Software Testing: .
    The best definition of software testing, given by (Shakya, S., & Smys, S., 2020), is the methods used to check and determine if the specifics of a software meet the required standards. The essence of software testing in most cases is to identify errors that could negatively affect performance of the software.     Comment by Stanley Nwoji: What scholarly evidence show that this definition is the best?
Ethical Considerations    Comment by Stanley Nwoji: You must show that the HU IRB approved this study.
This research will observe all ethics associated with qualitative research involving human subjects. The three main issues are informed consent, anonymity, and confidentiality. Informed consent entails obtaining permission from all the participants to use their data. In this research, the participants will acknowledge their willingness to participate by signing forms of informed consent with approval from HUIRB. Before signing these forms, participants will be explained about the research, its objectives and significance. They will also be allowed to exit from the research at any stage. Then confidentiality entails not revealing the participants information to unauthorized people. The ethics of confidentiality will be observed in this study by protecting the participants’ information and using it only for the study purposes. On the other hand, personal details of the participants will be kept anonymous. The participants will not provide their personal information such as...