[pt] Desenvolvedores frequentemente aplicam refatoração para melhorar os atributos internos de qualidade em projetos de software, tais como acoplamento e tamanho. Chamamos de rerrefatoração quando desenvolvedores refatoram um elemento de código-fonte previamente refatorado. O conhecimento empírico é limitado acerca de até que ponto refatoração e rerrefatoração de fato melhoram os atributos internos de qualidade. Nesta dissertação, nós investigamos a limitação supracitada com base em cinco atributos internos de qualidade conhecidos: acoplamento, coesão, complexidade, herança e tamanho. Também nos baseamos no histórico de versionamento de 23 projetos de software de código-fonte aberto, os quais possuem 29,303 operações de refatoração e 49.55 por cento de rerrefatorações. Nossa análise revelou descobertas interessantes apresentadas como segue. Primeiro, desenvolvedores aplicam mais de 93.45 por cento de operações de refatoração e rerrefatoração sobre elementos de código-fonte com ao menos um atributo interno de qualidade crítico, contrariando trabalhos anteriores. Segundo, para 65 por cento das operações, os atributos internos de qualidade relacionados melhoram, enquanto que os demais 35 por cento permanecem não-afetados. Terceiro, sempre que operações de refatoração são aplicadas sem mudanças adicionais no código fonte, o que chamamos de operação de refatoração root-canal, os atributos internos de qualidade frequentemente melhoram, ou ao menos, não pioram. Ao contrário, 55 por cento das operações de refatoração aplicadas com mudanças adicionais, tais como correção de bugs, surpreendentemente melhoram os atributos internos de qualidade, com somente 10 por cento de piora, o que também é válido para rerrefatoração. Nós sumarizamos nossas descobertas na forma de recomendações para desenvolvedores e pesquisadores. / [en] Developers often apply code refactoring to improve the internal quality attributes of a program, such as coupling and size. Given the structural decay of certain program elements, developers may need to apply multiple refactorings to these elements to achieve quality attribute improvements. We call re-refactoring when developers refactor again a previously refactored element in a program, such as a method or a class. There is limited empirical knowledge on to what extent developers successfully improve internal quality attributes through (re-)refactoring in their actual software projects. This dissertation addresses this limitation by investigating the impact of (re-)refactoring on five well-known internal quality attributes: cohesion, complexity, coupling, inheritance, and size. We also rely on the version history of 23 open source projects, which have 29,303 refactoring operations and 49.55 percent of re-refactoring operations. Our analysis revealed relevant findings. First, developers apply more than 93.45 percent of refactoring and re-refactoring operations to code elements with at least one critical internal quality attribute, as oppositely found in previous work. Second, 65 percent of the operations actually improve the relevant attributes, i.e. those attributes that are actually related to the refactoring type being applied; the remaining 35 percent operations keep the relevant quality attributes unaffected. Third, whenever refactoring operations are applied without additional changes, which we call root-canal refactoring, the internal quality attributes are either frequently improved or at least not worsened. Contrarily, 55 percent of the refactoring operations with additional changes, such as bug fixes, surprisingly improve internal quality attributes, with only 10 percent of the quality decline. This finding is also valid for re-refactoring. Finally, we also summarize our findings as concrete recommendations for both practitioners and researchers.

A utilização de enzimas como aditivos alimentares para poedeiras comerciais pode aumentar a digestibilidade dos nutrientes dos ingredientes da dieta. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da suplementação de enzima xilanase em dietas de poedeiras comerciais à base de milho e soja sobre desempenho, morfologia intestinal e incremento de energia da dieta. Foram utilizadas 400 poedeiras da linhagem Hy-line, variedade W36 com duas semanas de idade submetidas às dietas experimentais até as 80 semanas de idade. As aves foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualisado em esquema fatorial 2x2 (nível de energia x inclusão de xilanase), totalizando 4 tratamentos com 10 repetições de 10 aves cada. Os tratamentos foram: controle positivo (dieta balanceada para respectiva idade); controle positivo+xilanase; controle negativo (dieta com redução de 100 kcal/kg no nível de EM); controle negativo+xilanase. Nas fases de cria e recria (2 a 6 e 7 a 17 semanas), foram realizadas as avaliações para peso corporal, ganho de peso, consumo de ração, conversão alimentar, viabilidade criatória e uniformidade do lote. As seis e 16 semanas foram colhidos fragmentos de intestino das porções duodeno, jejuno e íleo para mensurações de altura de vilo e profundidade de cripta. Durante a fase de postura (18 a 80 semanas) foram avaliadas características de desempenho (ganho de peso, consumo de ração, produção, peso e massa de ovos, conversão alimentar e viabilidade criatória). Foram realizados ainda, quatro ensaios de digestibilidade (14, 36, 60 e 80 semanas) para determinação da energia metabolizável aparente e energia metabolizável aparente corrigida das dietas e coeficientes de metabolizabilidade dos nutrientes. Conclui-se que a suplementação de xilanase em dietas de poedeiras com redução de 100 kcal/kg de energia metabolizável promove melhor formação da mucosa intestinal e o fornecimento de dietas com níveis de energia adequados associadas à suplementação de xilanase proporciona valores de energia metabolizável (EMA) e energia metabolizável corrigida (EMAn) superiores em relação aos valores obtidos com dietas sem suplementação de enzima para fase de postura. Além disso, a adição de xilanase em dietas de poedeiras comerciais, a base de milho e soja possibilita a redução do nível de energia da dieta sem prejudicar o desempenho das aves. / The use of enzymes as feed additives for laying hens can increase the digestibility of nutrients present in diet. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the effects of xylanase enzyme supplementation in diets of laying hens based corn and soybean on performance, gut morphology and increased energy diet. Were used 400 layers of Hy-line W36 with two weeks of age fed experimental diets until 80 weeks of age. The birds were distributed to a completely randomized design in a 2x2 factorial (including energy level x xylanase), totaling four treatments with 10 replicates of 10 birds each. The treatments were: positive control (balanced diet to the age), positive control + xylanase, negative control (diet with a reduction of 100 kcal/kg ME) and negative control + xylanase. In phase of rearing (2 to 6 and 7 to 17 weeks), evaluations were made for body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, livability and uniformity. At six and 16 weeks were collected fragments intestine of portions duodenum, jejunum and ileum for measurement of villus height and crypt depth. During the laying phase (18 to 80 weeks) were evaluated performance characteristics (weight gain, feed intake, production, weight and egg mass, feed conversion and livability). Were also conducted four assays of digestibility (14, 36, 60 and 80 weeks) to determine the apparent metabolizable energy and apparent metabolizable energy corrected, coefficients of metabolization of diet nutrients. It was concluded that supplementation xylanase in diets of laying hens with reduction of 100 kcal/kg of metabolizable energy promotes better formation of the intestinal mucosa and compensates for the reduction of dietary energy, providing metabolizable energy and feeding diets with energy levels associated with adequate supplementation of xylanase provide values metabolizable energy and corrected metabolizable energy above to the values obtained with diets without supplementation enzyme to the production phase. Furthermore, the addition of xylanase in diets for laying hens, based corn and soybeans, allows reduction in the level of dietary energy without damaging the performance of birds.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:44:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_cristiane_brisolara.pdf: 435276 bytes, checksum: ec757953db838368371dc056217a1761 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-14 / Analysis of data referring to the tests made on reception of soybean seed harvested on Cereal Ouro farms, a company originally from Rio Grande do Sul, currently installed in Rio Verde/Goiás, during 2007/2008 crop, in order to analyze through the results of the tests conducted by the internal quality control (CIQ), the importance of establishing evaluation parameters used at the reception on the quality of soybean seed lots. The CIQ, an important tool of the company, helps to identify problems and its possible causes and, in decision making, reducing large-scale risks at any stage of the production, since it generated information about the performance potential of the seeds. The evaluations about the quality of soybean seed received in seed processing unit (UBS) included tests of percentage of moisture, percentage of mechanical damage (by testing sodium hypochlorite), percentage of broken seeds, percentage of green seed by sieve size and vigor, and viability, by tetrazolium test. The results were compared to tests done after the formation of the lots, which passed by germination, emergence in sand and tetrazolium tests. Concluding that there is a tendency of soybean seeds maintain high quality during the storage, showing that the quality standards adopted on reception must be strict. / Análise de dados referente aos testes feitos na recepção da semente de soja colhida nas fazendas da Cereal Ouro, empresa originária do Rio Grande do Sul e atualmente instalada em Rio Verde, município do Estado de Goiás, durante a safra 2007/2008, com objetivo de analisar através dos resultados dos testes realizados pelo controle interno de qualidade (CIQ), a importância da determinação de parâmetros de avaliação usados na recepção sobre a qualidade final dos lotes da semente de soja. O CIQ, importante ferramenta da empresa, auxilia na identificação de problemas e suas possíveis causas, e na tomada de decisão, reduzindo em larga escala os riscos em qualquer das fases de produção, pois gera informações detalhadas sobre o potencial de desempenho das sementes. As avaliações da qualidade da semente de soja recebida na unidade de beneficiamento de sementes (UBS) incluíram os testes de percentual de umidade, percentual de dano mecânico (através do teste de hipoclorito de sódio), percentual de sementes quebradas, percentual de sementes esverdeadas por tamanho de peneira e vigor e viabilidade pelo teste de tetrazólio. Os resultados destas avaliações foram comparados aos testes feitos após a formação dos lotes da semente de soja, os quais passaram pelos testes de germinação, emergência em areia e tetrazólio. Concluindo-se que Há uma tendência de as sementes de soja manterem elevada qualidade no armazenamento, evidenciando que os padrões de qualidade adotados na recepção devem ser rigorosos.

Abstract Point-of-care testing (POCT) is defined as laboratory tests performed outside the traditional clinical laboratory close to the patient at the time and place where care is received, such as hospitals and healthcare centers. The main reason for the use of POCT is that they provide rapid results and enable prompt interventions, with hopefully improved patient outcomes. All phases of laboratory procedure are included in POCT offering many opportunities for errors, which can influence on patients’ treatment. The measurements are more often performed by nurses than by laboratory professionals. These nurses have different kinds of professional backgrounds, e.g. public health nurses, registered and practical nurses, with minimal or no knowledge of laboratory procedures. The aim of the study was to develop a two-step training and management strategy for nurses to do POCT in hospital and primary healthcare center. In accordance with the strategy, with reasonable investment of laboratory resources, designated contact nurses were first trained in POCT by laboratory professionals, after which the contact nurses trained other nurses in POCT their respective units. Blood glucose, the most common point-of-care (POC) test, was chosen as an example to investigate the influence of training on the quality of the test performed by nurses. The quality of blood glucose measurements was studied by analyzing the control results obtained by nurses and biomedical laboratory scientists (BLSs). The study participants included nurses who were either untrained or trained to do POCT by using the developed interactive two-step training strategy. In conclusion, the nurses trained by using interactive two-step strategy achieved near-similar quality of blood glucose measurements as BLSs. The good quality of glucose measurements, once achieved by training, was also sustained in the long-term. / Tiivistelmä Määritelmän mukaan vieritutkimuksiksi kutsutaan laboratoriotutkimuksia, joita tehdään perinteisen laboratorion ulkopuolella, tarvittaessa lähellä potilasta sairaalassa ja perusterveydenhuollon alueella. Pääasiassa vieritutkimuksia tehdään silloin kun tulos halutaan saada nopeasti ennen hoitopäätöstä tai tulevaa toimenpidettä. Vieritutkimusten tekeminen sisältää kaikki laboratoriotyön vaiheet ja jokaisessa vaiheessa on mahdollisuus tehdä virheitä, jotka voivat vaikuttaa potilaiden hoitoon. Laboratorioammattilaisten sijaan määrityksiä tekevät yhä useammin hoitajat sairaalan eri yksiköissä ja perusterveydenhuollon alueella. Näillä hoitajilla on erilainen ammatillinen peruskoulutus, kuten perushoitajan tai sairaanhoitajan koulutus, ja heillä on vähän tai ei ollenkaan tietoa laboratoriomenetelmistä. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää hoitajien vieritutkimustoimintaan koulutus- ja hallintomalli, joka toimisi sekä sairaalassa että terveyskeskuksessa. Strategian perusteena oli käyttää suhteellisen vähän laboratorioresursseja ja päästä silti hyvään laadulliseen lopputulokseen. Strategiaksi valittiin kaksiportainen, vuorovaikutteinen koulutusmalli, jossa laboratorioammattilaiset kouluttivat sairaalan ja perusterveydenhuollon yksiköissä ns. yhdyshenkilöt, jotka puolestaan kouluttivat edelleen oman yksikkönsä muut hoitajat tekemään vieritutkimuksia. Veren glukoosimääritys, joka on yleisin vieritutkimus, valittiin esimerkkitutkimukseksi tutkittaessa koulutuksen vaikutusta hoitajien tekemien vieritutkimusten laatuun. Veren glukoosimääritysten laatutasoa tutkittiin analysoimalla hoitajien ja laboratoriohoitajien tekemien kontrollinäytteiden tuloksia. Tutkimukseen osallistui hoitajia, jotka oli koulutettu kehitetyllä vuorovaikutteisella kaksiportaisella koulutusstrategialla vieritutkimusten tekemiseen, sekä hoitajia, jotka eivät olleet saaneet vastaavaa koulutusta. Koulutusmallin avulla hoitajien suorittamien vieritutkimusten laatu parani ja he saavuttivat lähes saman laatutason kuin laboratoriohoitajat. Hyvä, kerran saavutettu glukoosimääritysten laatutaso säilyi myös pitkällä aikajaksolla.

The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth understanding of how a single private provider conducted an application for re-accreditation in line with the recently revised accreditation framework set out by the Council on Higher Education. This framework aims to promote an integrated approach to accreditation and increased autonomy for higher education institutions with regard to the reaccreditation of programmes. The research unpacked how accreditation was understood and applied within the context of the institution, placing emphasis on understanding the elements that promoted or inhibited quality as well as the tensions and contradictions that arose within this process. The driving question addressed by this research was: How does management within a South African private higher education institution engage with the re-accreditation process? Literature revealed that there is limited research on understanding quality assurance in private higher education in South Africa, and specifically on accreditation. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was considered the most effective lens to interpret the findings of this study, as research indicates that it is for teasing out the historical and cultural contradictions within as well as between people, tools and the environment within complex educational systems. Multiple data-gathering techniques, including semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observations and documentation reviews, were conducted. The findings of this study illuminate the critical role of management and their respective interpretations of quality in the shaping of the application for re-accreditation, that balanced quality development and accountability requirements. The study highlighted contradictions and issues that inhibited meaningful engagement with accreditation as well as the enhancement of programme and institutional quality.

[pt] A refatoração de código é uma transformação de código que visa aprimorar a estrutura interna do código. Uma refatoração isolada raramente é suficiente para remover completamente uma estrutura de código ruim, como uma anomalia de código. Os desenvolvedores então aplicam refatorações compostas para remover totalmente uma anomalia de código. Uma refatoração composta consiste em duas ou mais refatorações inter-relacionadas. Um refatoração composta é considerada completa quando elimina totalmente a anomalia de código alvo. Estudos relatam que os desenvolvedores geralmente falham em remover completamente as anomalias de código alvo por meio de refatorações compostas. Refatorações compostas concluídas podem não ser totalmente benéficas para a estrutura do código. Pois, estas podem induzir efeitos colaterais, como a introdução de anomalias de código ou a propagação de anomalias existentes. Há uma compreensão limitada sobre a completude das refatorações compostas e seus possíveis efeitos colaterais. Esta tese investiga como as refatorações compostas removem totalmente as anomalias de código sem induzir efeitos colaterais. Descobrimos que 64 por cento das refatorações compostas completas são formadas por tipos de refatoração não recomendados anteriormente. Dessa forma, derivamos um catálogo de recomendações para apoiar os desenvolvedores na aplicação de refatorações compostas. Na avaliação do catálogo, 85 por cento de 21 desenvolvedores relataram que usariam as recomendações do catálogo e que suas próprias soluções de refatoração teriam induzido efeitos colaterais. Também avaliamos qualitativamente três abordagens existentes para recomendar automaticamente refatorações compostas. Nesse estudo, a maioria (80 por cento) dos 10 desenvolvedores relatou que as abordagens existentes frequentemente induzem efeitos colaterais. No geral, as descobertas e o catálogo proposto podem ajudar os desenvolvedores a realizar refatorações compostas completas. / [en] Code refactoring is a code transformation that aims to enhance the internal code structure. A single refactoring is rarely sufficient to achieve the full removal of a poor code structure, such as a code smell. Developers then apply composite refactorings to fully remove a code smell. A composite refactoring (or, simply, composite) consists of two or more interrelated single refactorings. A composite is considered complete when it fully eliminates the target smell. However, studies report that developers often fail in completely removing target code smells through composites. Even when composite refactorings are complete they may still not be entirely beneficial to the code structure. They may induce side effects, such as the introduction of new smells or the propagation of existing ones. There is a limited understanding of the completeness of composite refactorings and their possible effects on structural quality. This thesis investigates whether and how composite refactorings fully remove smells without inducing side effects. We found that 64 per cent of complete composites in several software projects are formed of refactoring types not previously recommended in the literature. Based on this study, we derived a catalog of recommendations for supporting developers in applying composite refactorings. Out of twenty one developers evaluating our catalog, 85 per cent reported that they would use the catalog recommendations and that their own refactoring solutions would have induced side effects. We also qualitatively evaluated three existing approaches to automatically recommend composite refactorings. In our study with ten developers, most (80 per cent) developers reported that existing approaches frequently induce side effects. Overall, the findings and the proposed catalog can help developers to perform complete composite refactorings with better awareness of possible side effects.

[pt] Mesmo com o processo de refatoração sendo investigado cada vez mais nos últimos anos, muitas de suas características se mantém pouco compreendidas. Refatoração de software é o processo de melhorar a manutenibilidade de um sistema por meio de mudanças estruturais que não alteram seu comportamento. Estudos recentes revelaram que projetos de software frequentemente recebem refatorações compostas. Em tais refatorações, desenvolvedores aplicam uma série de transformações únicas em conjunção e em um único commit, e se espera que estas refatorações tenham um efeito maior e mais positivo do que refatorações singulares. Porém, refatorações frequentemente causam mudanças que ou mantém a qualidade do software da mesma forma, ou causam a piora do mesmo, levando trabalhos recentes a procurar causas em potencial para este comportamento. Porém, o porquê da complexidade destas mudanças compostas frequentemente afetarem seus resultados de alguma forma positiva ou (inesperadamente) negativa continua não investigado. O mesmo ocorre com o potencial efeito das preocupações dos desenvolvedores durante a aplicação de refatorações. Sobre estas preocupações, alguns trabalhos anteriores foram desenvolvidos em torno da caracterização e detecção de discussões de desenvolvedores relacionadas a refatorações. Porém, não se sabe se e como estas preocupações de desenvolvedores com refatorações, tornando-se explícitas em tais discussões, podem influenciar os efeitos de refatorações em um sistema. Portanto, este trabalho apresenta dois estudos com o objetivo de preencher a lacuna no conhecimento de que causas levam aos efeitos não-positivos frequentemente encontrados em refatorações, procurando entender: (i) se refatorações mais complexas realmente são mais efetivas do que refatorações simples, como esperado; (ii) em que situações desenvolvedores tendem a explicitar suas preocupações com refatoração do código; e (iii) qual é o impacto de tais preocupações na efetividade de uma refatoração em melhorar a qualidade estrutural do código. Nós analisamos estas características e atingimos os seguintes resultados: Primeiro, conforme a complexidade das refatorações aumenta, a efetividade das mesmas aumenta conjuntamente. Segundo, há uma relação entre a efetividade de refatorações e preocupações explícitas com refatorações, onde a possibilidade de efeitos negativos é menor quando desenvolvedores estão explicitamente preocupados com refatoração. Finalmente, desenvolvedores tendem a explicitar mais frequentemente suas preocupações com o processo de refatoração quando deparados com tarefas de refatoração mais complexas. / [en] Even though the refactoring process has been increasingly investigated in the last years, many of its characteristics remain poorly understood. Software refactoring is the process of improving the maintainability of a system through structural changes that do not alter its behaviour. Recent studies revealed that software projects frequently have to undergo composite refactorings. In such refactorings, developers perform a series of single transformations in conjunction and in a single commit, which are expected to have a larger and more positive impact than single refactorings. However, refactorings frequently cause changes that either keep the software quality the same, or cause it to worsen, which lead recent works to look for potential causes of this behavior. However, the complexity of these composite changes often affecting their outcomes in some positive or (unexpectedly) negative way remains not investigated, much like the developers concerns while performing refactoring. For the latter, some previous work was performed around characterizing and detecting refactoring-related developer discussions. However, it is unknown whether and how developers refactoring concerns made explicit in such discussions can influence the refactorings effects on a system. Thus, this work reports two studies aimed at bridging some of those gaps in knowledge in which causes lead to the non-positive effects frequently found in refactoring, by understanding: (i) if more complex refactorings are indeed more effective than simple refactorings, as one would expect; (ii) in which situations developers tend to have explicit concerns while refactoring the code; and (iii) what is the impact of such concerns on the effectiveness of a refactoring to improve structural quality. We analyze these characteristics and reach the following results: First, as refactoring complexity increases, the effectiveness of such refactorings increases as well. Second, there is a relationship between refactoring effectiveness and explicit refactoring concerns, in which the possibility of negative effects is lower when developers are explicitly concerned about refactoring. Finally, developers tend to be more explicit about their concerns on the refactoring process when they are faced with more complex refactoring tasks.

[pt] Contexto: Várias mudanças de código aplicadas ao evoluir funcionalidades visam melhorar atributos internos de qualidade como coesão. Tais mudanças são as refatorações. Refatorações não dirigidas podem piorar, e não melhorar, atributos internos. Porém, o saber atual é insuficiente para gerir atributos internos durante a evolução do sistema. Objetivo: Nosso primeiro objetivo é entender como refatorações afetam atributos internos ao evoluir sistemas, mitigando limitações de escopo de estudos anteriores. Nosso segundo objetivo é atender uma carência por evidência quantitativa sobre como gerir atributos internos críticos via refatorações ao evoluir sistemas. Um atributo interno é crítico se sua medição assume valores anômalos. Baixa coesão é um exemplo de atributo crítico. Método: O primeiro estudo estende uma avaliação quantitativa da relação entre refatorações e cinco atributos internos: acoplamento, coesão, complexidade, herança e tamanho. Incluímos novas análises e resolvemos ameaças à validade da literatura. O segundo estudo contém estudos de caso qualitativos baseados em grupo focal. Em dois casos industriais, promovemos discussões sobre o quanto (e por que) atributos críticos são relevante ao evoluir funcionalidades. Por fim, cruzamos os achados dos dois estudos para discutir como gerir atributos críticos via refatoração ao evoluir funcionalidades. Resultados: Aproximadamente 64 por cento das refatorações melhoram ou não afetam os atributos internos. Desenvolvedores parecem refatorar até melhorar os atributos mais relevantes, ignorando outros atributos internos possivelmente críticos. Baixa coesão e alta complexidade são percebidos como relevantes e tornam mais difícil evoluir funcionalidades. Alto acoplamento, herança larga e tamanho largo são percebidos como irrelevantes ao implementar funcionalidades especialmente complexas, por exemplo. Ao cruzar dados entre estudos, discutimos como refatorações podem melhorar atributos internos, inclusive atributos críticos. Conclusões: Os achados dos nossos estudos podem apoiar a gestão de atributos críticos relevantes aos desenvolvedores, mas também preservar outros atributos que podem se tornar críticos. / [en] Context: Several software changes applied while evolving software features aim at improving internal quality attributes, e.g. cohesion. These changes are the refactorings. Non-assisted refactorings might worsen, rather than improve, internal attributes. However, current knowledge is insufficient for managing internal attributes during software evolution. Objective: Our first objective is assessing how refactorings affect internal attributes during software evolution by filling gaps of past work on study scope. Our second objective is filling gaps of qualitative evidence on how to manage critical internal attributes via refactorings while evolving features. An internal attribute is critical when its measurement has anomalous values. Low cohesion is an example of critical attribute. Method: Our first study extends a large quantitative assessment of the relationship between refactorings and five internal attributes: cohesion, complexity, coupling, inheritance, and size. We include a more detailed statistical analysis and address major threats to validity of past work. Our second study is a qualitative case study based on focus group. We selected two industry cases to promote discussions on how much (and why) critical attributes are relevant while evolving features. Finally, we crossed the findings from both conducted studies aimed at discussing how critical attributes can be addressed via refactoring when evolving features. Results: About 64 per cent of refactorings either improve or keep the internal attributes unaffected. Developers seem to perform refactorings until the most relevant internal attributes are improved, thereby neglecting other internal attributes that may be critical. Low cohesion and high complexity are perceived as relevant because they often make evolving features harder than usual. High coupling, large inheritance, and large size are perceived as irrelevant when developers implement especially complex features. By crossing the findings from both studies, we discuss how refactorings can improve internal attributes, especially the critical ones. Conclusions: The findings of our studies can support managing critical attributes that developers typically find relevant, while preserving other attributes that may become critical.

This study investigated the current practices of quality assurance systems in Ethiopia at national and institutional levels in the light of government’s intended policies and the policies that are being implemented in HEIs. In addition, the study intended to compare the practices of public and private HEIs. It focused on quality assurance in degree-granting public and accredited private higher education institutionsin Ethiopia. For this study, I employed a mixed approach (qualitative as a main and quantitative as a subsidiary approach), combining a comparative case study and a survey to investigate the practices of QA systems in HEIs. Data was gathered from the National QA agency, degree-granting public universities, and accredited private university colleges. In addition, HERQA experts, academic vice presidents, QA directors, research and publication directors, college deans, internal quality reviewers and senior academic staff were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews with key informants, documentary evidence, and a survey questionnaire form the main evidence base. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Although the study found structured QA processes at national and institutional levels, these were very recent in public HEIs, whereas and a quality culture had been developed in private HEIs. Self-evaluation and external quality audits are common methodologies used by both private and public HEIs. In addition, accreditation is another QA mechanism used by national quality assurance agencies to accredit private HEIs. This study confirmed that there was no QA policy at national and institutional levels to direct QA activities at all levels. This had a negative impact on the effective implementation of the system. Standards could be useful because they provide an institution with a clear idea of an ‘ideal’ end point, something towards which to strive. HEIs should develop their own quality principles and quality indicators for each key area of quality; however, the quality managers of both private and public HEIs did not understand the meaning of quality standards or quality indicators. There was a significant difference between public and private HEIs in the implementation of internal QA systems and their commitment to implementing them. Private HEIs’ top managers were more committed than those of public HEIs. The impact of QA systems on core activities of the institutions also varied from private and public HEIs. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

This study investigated the current practices of quality assurance systems in Ethiopia at national and institutional levels in the light of government’s intended policies and the policies that are being implemented in HEIs. In addition, the study intended to compare the practices of public and private HEIs. It focused on quality assurance in degree-granting public and accredited private higher education institutionsin Ethiopia. For this study, I employed a mixed approach (qualitative as a main and quantitative as a subsidiary approach), combining a comparative case study and a survey to investigate the practices of QA systems in HEIs. Data was gathered from the National QA agency, degree-granting public universities, and accredited private university colleges. In addition, HERQA experts, academic vice presidents, QA directors, research and publication directors, college deans, internal quality reviewers and senior academic staff were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews with key informants, documentary evidence, and a survey questionnaire form the main evidence base. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Although the study found structured QA processes at national and institutional levels, these were very recent in public HEIs, whereas and a quality culture had been developed in private HEIs. Self-evaluation and external quality audits are common methodologies used by both private and public HEIs. In addition, accreditation is another QA mechanism used by national quality assurance agencies to accredit private HEIs. This study confirmed that there was no QA policy at national and institutional levels to direct QA activities at all levels. This had a negative impact on the effective implementation of the system. Standards could be useful because they provide an institution with a clear idea of an ‘ideal’ end point, something towards which to strive. HEIs should develop their own quality principles and quality indicators for each key area of quality; however, the quality managers of both private and public HEIs did not understand the meaning of quality standards or quality indicators. There was a significant difference between public and private HEIs in the implementation of internal QA systems and their commitment to implementing them. Private HEIs’ top managers were more committed than those of public HEIs. The impact of QA systems on core activities of the institutions also varied from private and public HEIs. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)