%0 Journal Article %1 Miara1983 %A Miara, Richard J. %A Musselman, Joyce A. %A Navarro, Juan A. %A Shneiderman, Ben %D 1983 %J Commun. ACM %K program_comprehension programming style typographic %N 11 %P 861--867 %R http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/182.358437 %T Program indentation and comprehensibility %V 26 %X The consensus in the programming community is that indentation aids program comprehension, although many studies do not back this up. We tested program comprehension on a Pascal program. Two styles of indentation were used-blocked and nonblocked- in addition to four possible levels of indentation (0, 2, 4, 6 spaces). Both experienced and novice subjects were used. Although blocking style made no difference, the level of indentation had a significant effect on program comprehension. (2-4 spaces had the highest mean score for program comprehension.) We recommend that a moderate level of indentation be used to increase program comprehension and user satisfaction.

@article{Miara1983, abstract = {The consensus in the programming community is that indentation aids program comprehension, although many studies do not back this up. We tested program comprehension on a Pascal program. Two styles of indentation were used-blocked and nonblocked- in addition to four possible levels of indentation (0, 2, 4, 6 spaces). Both experienced and novice subjects were used. Although blocking style made no difference, the level of indentation had a significant effect on program comprehension. (2-4 spaces had the highest mean score for program comprehension.) We recommend that a moderate level of indentation be used to increase program comprehension and user satisfaction.}, added-at = {2008-10-09T22:40:28.000+0200}, author = {Miara, Richard J. and Musselman, Joyce A. and Navarro, Juan A. and Shneiderman, Ben}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2bc0b49bf0bd701033d8dfbf423326d0a/sjbutler}, doi = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/182.358437}, interhash = {255db7022377ef1e3c2cf7a726379aa2}, intrahash = {bc0b49bf0bd701033d8dfbf423326d0a}, issn = {0001-0782}, journal = {Commun. ACM}, keywords = {program_comprehension programming style typographic}, number = 11, pages = {861--867}, timestamp = {2008-10-11T12:54:26.000+0200}, title = {Program indentation and comprehensibility}, volume = 26, year = 1983 }