Theory Use In Software Engineering: A Systematic Mapping Study

Abstract 

Context: The use of theories in Software Engineering research is not as common or explicit as in other fields,with most studies focusing on technical aspects. However, establishing a more robust theoretical foundation couldsignificantly contribute to the maturation of Software Engineering as a science.

Objective: Therefore, this study investigates the use of theory in software engineering by applying the snowballingtechnique to systematic literature reviews indexed by the main online databases over the last 16 years. It also analyzesthe extent of theory use and what, how, and where these theories are used.

Method: We conducted a systematic mapping study to classify evidence on theory definitions, papers’ quality,research topics, methods, types, theory types, theory roles, and publication venues.

Results: Our results showed that the term “theory” varied among the literature due to inconsistent terminology,thus necessitating a comprehensive approach for accurate identification. Although many theories are cited, only a tinypercentage see repeated application across studies, with limited testing for relevance to practical software engineeringcontexts.

Conclusion: Despite the increase in proposed theories, software engineering requires further attention to mature, asmost papers primarily use theory to justify or motivate experimental research questions. Furthermore, although thereis a diversity of research topics and an adaptation of external theories, only 16% of studies explicitly operationalizetheory, highlighting the need for more intentional theoretical integration and developing SE-specific frameworks.