A simple technique to motivate structured programming
SIGCSE '88 Proceedings of the nineteenth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
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The research investigated the preferences for graphical methods, such as structured flowcharts, and for verbal methods, such as pseudocode, when learning short, relatively complex algorithms. The research summarizes the data from six replications using 193 students and 16 data structures classes. A preference for flowcharts was hypothesized under eight conditions. All eight conditions produced large differences which were statistically significant. The preferences for flowcharts ranged from 75.1% to 89.1%. Probabilities associated with these eight significant conditions ranged from p ≤ .0000001 × 10-23 to p ≤ .0000001 × 10-5. No statistically significant preferences were found for pseudocode. The results indicate that graphical methods should be strongly considered when teaching relatively complex algorithms. More specifically, the results indicate that data structures students strongly prefer a structured flowchart presentation in books and in lectures. The students also prefer to view a structured flowchart version of an algorithm before viewing a pseudocode version when given the opportunity to use both algorithmic learning techniques. Including two other recent studies on structured flowchart preference, there are now eight full-and-partial replications which have produced nearly identical findings. The students found the data structures algorithms easier to comprehend when structured flowcharts were used. The results of these eight replications support the use of structured flowcharts in the instruction of short, relatively complex algorithms. The research does not support the use of structured flowcharts in any other context.