Surveys in Software Engineering

Context: The representativeness of samples in Software Engineering primary studies is still a great challenge, mainly when identifying available sources for establishing adequate sampling frames, characterizing subjects and stimulating their participation in (opinion) surveys. The lack of survey guidelines taking into account the specificities of Software Engineering increases the research challenge. Goal: To introduce a conceptual framework for supporting the identification of representative samples for surveys in Software Engineering. Method: Based on knowledge acquired in the technical literature and researchers' experience, to organize a set of guidelines to systematically support sampling in Software Engineering surveys. To perform in vitro empirical studies to observe and evolve the guidelines. Results: An empirically evaluated set of planning activities and tasks with recommendations to support the identification of representative samples for surveys in Software Engineering is available. Conclusion: Surveys have been supporting relevant investigations in Software Engineering in the last decades. This conceptual framework can contribute to strength representativeness of their results. However, some important issues regarding survey research are still open and deserves attention from the empirical Software Engineering community.