Structuring the programmer's task

Computer programming could be made easier. This paper gives a short account of the authors' empirical studies of programming, showing that very considerable improvements can be obtained both for beginners and for professionals. The improvements are related to, though not wholly dependent on, the new concepts of ‘structured programming’; we have found ways to improve both the programming language itself and the procedures used by the programmer. Psychological explanations of the effects are offered and the limitations of present findings are noted.