Empirical software engineering

{{for|the journal|Empirical Software Engineering}}

Empirical software engineering (ESE){{cite book |title=Guide to advanced empirical software engineering |date=2008 |publisher=Springer |location=New York |isbn=978-1-84800-043-8}} is a subfield of software engineering (SE) research that uses empirical research methods to study and evaluate an SE phenomenon of interest. The phenomenon may refer to software development tools/technology, practices, processes, policies, or other human and organizational aspects.

ESE has roots in experimental software engineering, but as the field has matured the need and acceptance for both quantitative and qualitative research has grown.{{cite book |last1=Ali |first1=Nauman bin |title=Proceedings of the 10th ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement |chapter=Is effectiveness sufficient to choose an intervention? |date=8 September 2016 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.1145/2961111.2962631|isbn=9781450344272 |s2cid=3208211 }} Today, common research methods used in ESE for primary and secondary research are the following:{{cite journal |last1=Wohlin |first1=Claes |last2=Aurum |first2=Aybüke |title=Towards a decision-making structure for selecting a research design in empirical software engineering |journal=Empirical Software Engineering |date=December 2015 |volume=20 |issue=6 |pages=1427–1455 |doi=10.1007/s10664-014-9319-7|s2cid=254463421 }}

• Primary research (experimentation, case study research, survey research, simulations in particular software Process simulation)
• Secondary research methods (Systematic reviews, Systematic mapping studies, rapid reviews, tertiary review)