An Analysis of the Errors Made by Novice Programmers in a First Course in Procedural Programming in Java

Novice programmers usually experience a number of learning difficulties. The main aim of the study reported in this paper, is to identify these problem areas for first time procedural programmers. The paper describes the overall methodology employed to determine these learning difficulties. The study revealed that the most frequently occurring problems are poor planning and problem solving ability, a lack of knowledge of the programming language, a lack of understanding of the application domain, and a lack of conceptualization of the execution of the program. In addition to this the study has also identified the incorrect transfer of knowledge, a lack of understanding of control structures, incorrect identification of control structures needed, and inefficient problem solving approaches as the causes of errors in student programs. Furthermore, programming topics which students experienced the most difficulty with were modularization and iteration. Future work will involve developing instructional strategies to assist novices in overcoming these difficulties.