Secondary Studies in the Academic Context: A Systematic Mapping and Survey

TL;DR

This paper systematically maps and surveys the use of secondary studies like SLRs and SMs in software engineering academia, highlighting their benefits, challenges, and value for research projects and student development.

Contribution

It provides an empirical overview of secondary studies' role and perceived value in academic SE research, including benefits, difficulties, and practical recommendations.

Findings

Secondary studies help identify relevant literature and support research decisions.

Graduate students face challenges conducting secondary studies, often requiring teamwork and more effort.

Supervision and skill acquisition are crucial for effective secondary study execution.

Abstract

Context: Several researchers have reported their experiences in applying secondary studies (Systematic Literature Reviews - SLRs and Systematic Mappings - SMs) in Software Engineering (SE). However, there is still a lack of studies discussing the value of performing secondary studies in an academic context. Goal: The main goal of this study is to provide an overview on the use of secondary studies in an academic context. Method: Two empirical research methods were used. Initially, we conducted an SM to identify the available and relevant studies on the use of secondary studies as a research methodology for conducting SE research projects. Secondly, a survey was performed with 64 SE researchers to identify their perception related to the value of performing secondary studies to support their research projects. Results: Our results show benefits of using secondary studies in the academic context, such as, providing an overview of the literature as well as identifying relevant research literature on a research area enabling to find reasons to explain why a research project should be approved for a grant and/or supporting decisions made in a research project. Difficulties faced by SE graduate students with secondary studies are that they tend to be conducted by a team and it demands more effort than a traditional review. Conclusions: Secondary studies are valuable to graduate students. They should consider conducting a secondary study for their research project due to the benefits and contributions provided to develop the overall project. However, the advice of an experienced supervisor is essential to avoid bias. In addition, the acquisition of skills can increase student's motivation to pursue their research projects and prepare them for both academic or industrial careers.