gerhart@donner.sw.mcc.com (Susan Gerhart) (04/30/89)
Note expanded coverage and revised dates:
Call for Papers for Special Issues of
IEEE Software, Computer, Transactions on Software Engineering:
Formal Methods for Software Engineering
---------------------------------------
1. Summary of the Topic
Formal Methods are design and construction methods expli-
citly based on well-defined mathematical formalisms. Exam-
ples are: VDM, Z, box-structures, traces, predicate
transformers, state transition systems, axiomatic data
types, and many more. These methods promise (1) better con-
trol over the system development process through clarity and
precision of specification and then of development steps and
(2) reduced error commission and persistence through rigor,
systematic review, and formal analysis. Much progress has
been made in using formal methods, developing support sys-
tems for them, and evaluating their applicability on
industrially-oriented problems. Applications to critical
systems are appearing world-wide and there is now some com-
mercial interest based on advances in verifiable execution
environments. Several standards groups are using formal
methods and one - VDM - is undergoing the international
standards process.
2. Content of the Special Issues
A coordinated set of papers is planned for September 1990
with a survey plus a tutorial in IEEE Computer, application
case studies in IEEE Software, and research papers in IEEE
Transactions on Software Engineering. Multiple submissions
of different types, e.g. a case study with accompanying
research description, are permitted. Submitters should con-
sider the following content descriptions to guide their
preparations.
IEEE Software attempts to reach practitioners who can bene-
fit from application studies with methods and tools nearing
maturity. Each article in this special issue will describe
an application of formal methods to a specific industrial-
scale problem. Articles are expected to summarize the method
and concentrate on how it was used on the problem. Excluded
from interest are articles that: introduce a new method or
gratuitous variant; apply to only a toy problem (i.e. no
10-line text formatters, trivial elevators, or GCDs); cannot
reveal sufficient data about the application to allow
evaluation of effectiveness; or emphasize language semantics
over problems. Hardware or mixed hardware and software
applications are welcome as long as the method has known
software applications. Scaled down versions of industrial
sized problems are expected and acceptable, although scaling
up should be addressed.
Transactions on Software Engineering is an archival journal
and papers should present well-defined theoretical results
and empirical studies that have potential impact on the con-
struction, analysis, or management of software. Appropriate
topics range from formal models to empirical studies, from
software construction paradigms to assessment mechanisms,
from the development of principles to the application of
those principles to specific environments. Since the jour-
nal is archival, it is assumed that the ideas presented are
important and original, have been well analyzed and/or
empirically validated and are of value to the software
engineering research or practitioner community. In this
special issue, preference will be given to research papers
related to the State of the Art of applications of formal
methods. Because of time limitations, papers that reviewers
recommend for acceptance but with major revision required
will be considered instead for a regular issue if the editor
does not believe that an adequate revision and review can be
accomplished in the time available.
IEEE Computer will publish a tutorial, e.g. illustrating at
least one method in depth with a comparison with others. A
survey of applications will include short project descrip-
tions with a summary of approaches and major results. Please
note special submission procedures below.
3. Submission Procedures
In all publications, notation should be as standard as pos-
sible and well defined.
IEEE Software papers should (1) be kept brief, between 1500
and 6750 words or 6-25 double spaced typed pages (preferred
are well-focused papers of less than 20 pages); (2) limit
references to the 10 most important; (3) use diagrams, fig-
ures, photos, and listings for emphasis; and (4) be clear,
informal and use an active voice. Note that papers may be
further edited by the magazine for readability.
IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering Style, submission
procedures, and reviewing criteria will be the same as for
papers submitted to regular issues of IEEE TSE. There are
no special length or stylistic constraints. Submission and
style requirements can be found in the back of any issue of
TSE. Papers should be submitted directly to the associate
editor involved (Nancy Leveson) instead of to the editor-
in-chief.
Brief proposals for a tutorial are requested before initial
submissions. Project descriptions will be collected in a
standard form. Contact the associate editor (Susan Gerhart)
for further project description or tutorial information.
Reviewers are sought who can adhere to a tight time table
for publishing this special joint issue.
Editors:
Applications, tutorial, survey:
Susan Gerhart
MCC Software Technology Program
3500 W. Balcones Dr.
Austin TX 78759, U.S.A.
Phone: 512-338-3492
Fax: 512-338-3899
e-mail: gerhart@mcc.com
Research contributions:
Nancy Leveson
Information and Computer Science Department
University of California, Irvine
Irvine CA 92717 U.S.A.
Phone: 714-856-5517
Fax: 714-856-4056
e-mail: nancy@ics.uci.edu
Publication Schedule:
Oct. 1, 1989 Drafts Due (earlier welcome)
Mar. 1, 1990 Reviews Completed
May 1, 1990 Revisions Completed
September, 1990 Publication