Consent

The aim of this research is to explore how software engineers understand LTL formulas, as well as code and formal specifications more generally.

We appreciate your interest in participating in this online task. You have been invited to take part because of your background in software engineering, particularly in formal methods. Please take a moment to read through the information provided before deciding whether to participate and clicking the ‘I Agree’ button below.

If you have any questions before deciding whether to participate, please feel free to contact the Principal Researcher, Prof. Shahar Maoz, who is affiliated with the School of Computer Science at Tel Aviv University. Prof. Maoz can be reached at maoz@cs.tau.ac.il.

In this quiz, you will be asked 9 comprehension questions about LTL formulas. The quiz should take approximately 10-20 minutes to complete. A basic understanding of formal methods, particularly Linear Temporal Logic, is required. We will collect data on the correctness of your answers and the time spent on each question. This data will help us better understand which aids make LTL formulas easier to comprehend.

Please note that participation is voluntary. If you choose to take part, you may withdraw at any time for any reason simply by closing the browser. We have also included a ‘Skip’ option if you prefer not to answer a particular question. However, we would appreciate it if you could make your best effort to answer each question, even if you are not completely sure about your response.

We will not collect or store any data that could directly identify you. The responses you provide will be stored in a password-protected electronic file. The data will be used solely for the purpose of this research. The results of the study are expected to be published in scientific journals and academic theses.

That said, at the end of the task you will have the option to provide your e-mail address if you wish to participate in a semi-structured follow-up interview, conducted virtually via Zoom, for which you will receive a $20 Amazon gift card.

This research has been reviewed and approved by the Tel Aviv University Research Ethics Committee (0007748-3). It is funded by a grant from the Israel Science Foundation [1652/25].

If you have read the information above and agree to participate, understanding that the data you submit will be processed as described, please click the ‘I Agree’ box below to proceed to the instructions page.