Detecting Cognitive Slips in Novice Code Tracing

Novice programmers sometimes trace code incorrectly due to misconceptions. However, tracing errors do not always reflect flawed mental models, since they can also be caused by cognitive slips. Instructors may wish to respond differently to errors caused by slips rather than misconceptions, but these errors can be difficult to tell apart. This paper describes one instructor's search for an effective way to detect slips. Asking students to sketch or explain their traces seems insufficient, but engaging students in analyzing their own errors shows more promise.