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Foundations of Software Testing ISTQB Certification
Now in its third edition, Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification is the essential guide to software testing and to the ISTQB Foundation qualification. Completely updated to comprehensively reflect the most recent changes to the ISTQB Foundation Syllabus, the book adopts a practical, hands-on approach, covering the fundamental topics that every system and software tester should know. The authors are themselves developers of the ISTQB syllabus and are highly respected international authorities, teachers and authors within the field of software testing.
242 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 7, 2013
This is a great book for those who are preparing for the Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) by ASTQB. The book covers all the topics of the CTFL Syllabus in a simple language. Highly recommend this book. I just took one month to prepare for the CTFL using this book, took the only mock exam at the end of the book, and scored a 90% in the CTFL Exam.
November 30, 2019
Oh, to be a Software Tester
18 November 2019 - Echuca
Yeah, this is a text book, and it is probably a pretty important textbook if you are wanting to pass the ISTQB exam so as to become a certified software tester. Honestly, after having to sit through a semester of this course where I would read each of the chapters twice and then only scrap through on the multiple choice tests that occurred every fortnight, it is something that I really want to put behind me, for good.
Yeah, the ISTQB (the International Software Testing Qualifications Board) sets a test that you need to get over 60% to be able to become a certified software testing. The bad news is that the test is all multiple choice. The good news is that you basically need to just get over 60% and no more – you are certified. This isn’t like university or anything, where the higher a mark you get, the better opportunities that you have before you. No, in the real world it is either a pass or a fail, and a fail basically means that you are out something like $300.00 – I believe that you can take the exam as many times as you like.
Anyway, there is also the question about multiple choice – I was always under the impression that multiple choice questions were easy, namely that there are two ridiculously stupid answers, and two possible correct answers, and it really, in the end, came down to a fifty-fifty chance of getting them right. Well, guess what, in the real world that isn’t the case – the only thing easy about multiple choice questions is marking them. Mind you, what is even worse is that some lecturers have cottoned on to this idea that you can get correct answers simply by guessing, so they apply things like negative marks or some complicated calculation that means that you need to get over something like 65% to actually pass. Fortunately, the university has decided that setting multiple choice questions in an exam is going to be discouraged.
So, what about software testing? Well, it is sort of one of those things that needs to be done, but nobody really wants to do it, because if something goes wrong then it is more likely than not that the software tester is going to get the blame because the tester ‘should have found the fault’. Yeah, let’s just say that trying to find a flaw in a huge computer program can literally be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Then again, as suggested, not testing something properly can lead to all sorts of problems – just ask Boeing.
Mind you, that is probably why people end up throwing heaps of money at software testers, not so much that they can make sure that a product works as expected, but that they also have somebody to blame if something goes wrong. Well, not quite, because you can be assured that customers generally don’t like their service providers passing the buck, so yeah, they might blame the software testers for doing a pretty dodgy job in attempting to find a bug that simply does not want to be found, but they still in the end have to take the blame.
As for this book, well, it does try to cover an incredibly huge topic, but honestly, it really isn’t one of those books that I would recommend basing your entire assignment on (though to be honest with you, one of the guys in my team based his entire assignment on a Wikipedia entry, and he only did that to show off in front of everybody – I’m not sure how well he managed to pull it off mind you, considering that we were all marked individually). Still, as I suggested, it is a good starting point, but in the end, nothing beats the internet when it comes to looking for answers to an assignment – just stay away from those multiple choice exams.
18 November 2019 - Echuca
Yeah, this is a text book, and it is probably a pretty important textbook if you are wanting to pass the ISTQB exam so as to become a certified software tester. Honestly, after having to sit through a semester of this course where I would read each of the chapters twice and then only scrap through on the multiple choice tests that occurred every fortnight, it is something that I really want to put behind me, for good.
Yeah, the ISTQB (the International Software Testing Qualifications Board) sets a test that you need to get over 60% to be able to become a certified software testing. The bad news is that the test is all multiple choice. The good news is that you basically need to just get over 60% and no more – you are certified. This isn’t like university or anything, where the higher a mark you get, the better opportunities that you have before you. No, in the real world it is either a pass or a fail, and a fail basically means that you are out something like $300.00 – I believe that you can take the exam as many times as you like.
Anyway, there is also the question about multiple choice – I was always under the impression that multiple choice questions were easy, namely that there are two ridiculously stupid answers, and two possible correct answers, and it really, in the end, came down to a fifty-fifty chance of getting them right. Well, guess what, in the real world that isn’t the case – the only thing easy about multiple choice questions is marking them. Mind you, what is even worse is that some lecturers have cottoned on to this idea that you can get correct answers simply by guessing, so they apply things like negative marks or some complicated calculation that means that you need to get over something like 65% to actually pass. Fortunately, the university has decided that setting multiple choice questions in an exam is going to be discouraged.
So, what about software testing? Well, it is sort of one of those things that needs to be done, but nobody really wants to do it, because if something goes wrong then it is more likely than not that the software tester is going to get the blame because the tester ‘should have found the fault’. Yeah, let’s just say that trying to find a flaw in a huge computer program can literally be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Then again, as suggested, not testing something properly can lead to all sorts of problems – just ask Boeing.
Mind you, that is probably why people end up throwing heaps of money at software testers, not so much that they can make sure that a product works as expected, but that they also have somebody to blame if something goes wrong. Well, not quite, because you can be assured that customers generally don’t like their service providers passing the buck, so yeah, they might blame the software testers for doing a pretty dodgy job in attempting to find a bug that simply does not want to be found, but they still in the end have to take the blame.
As for this book, well, it does try to cover an incredibly huge topic, but honestly, it really isn’t one of those books that I would recommend basing your entire assignment on (though to be honest with you, one of the guys in my team based his entire assignment on a Wikipedia entry, and he only did that to show off in front of everybody – I’m not sure how well he managed to pull it off mind you, considering that we were all marked individually). Still, as I suggested, it is a good starting point, but in the end, nothing beats the internet when it comes to looking for answers to an assignment – just stay away from those multiple choice exams.
February 9, 2019
I read this for a university master's course on software testing. It gives a decent overview of topics related to software testing such as integration of testing into software development cycles, test techniques (black box, white box), risk analysis and usage of software test tools.
The chapter questions and mock exam seem to be helpful in checking your own understanding of the contents. I did find some of the wording a little unclear at times which is why I deduct a star.
The focus on the ISTQB glossary words and standardized IEEE templates for test case specification etc. might be a bit boring for some who are used to or interested in more informal software development styles -- but considering that the book has "ISTQB" in the title, I don't see this as a negative. The writing style overall is not too dry so the book isn't a total drag to read through. The book also always names alternative options to any standardized templates it suggests.
The chapter questions and mock exam seem to be helpful in checking your own understanding of the contents. I did find some of the wording a little unclear at times which is why I deduct a star.
The focus on the ISTQB glossary words and standardized IEEE templates for test case specification etc. might be a bit boring for some who are used to or interested in more informal software development styles -- but considering that the book has "ISTQB" in the title, I don't see this as a negative. The writing style overall is not too dry so the book isn't a total drag to read through. The book also always names alternative options to any standardized templates it suggests.
March 9, 2016
The material is so dry and formal, that is practically close to useless. Unless you got for ISTQB test, don't even consider.
September 1, 2024
Foundations of Software Testing ISTQB Certification describes each point from the official syllabus in considerable detail and provides examples or distinctions between terms. The book itself is divided into seven chapters, with sample exam questions at the end of each chapter. The conclusion includes a mock exam and preparation tips.
I liked the syllabus terms at the end of the book. There are many of them, but those needed for the exam are highlighted with underlines.
The last chapters are quite general, with all the foundational material in the first four chapters. It's suitable for independent exam preparation, but it's definitely worth solving additional mock exams from the internet.
I liked the syllabus terms at the end of the book. There are many of them, but those needed for the exam are highlighted with underlines.
The last chapters are quite general, with all the foundational material in the first four chapters. It's suitable for independent exam preparation, but it's definitely worth solving additional mock exams from the internet.
October 15, 2018
Very good books with testing concepts covering topics as per the ISTQB syllabus.
October 31, 2018
mmmkmkmkm
January 21, 2019
In almost covers the every single side of how a Software can be tested. The good thing is that is is written against the ISTQB guidelines so one can attempt certification after having a grasp on it
December 16, 2019
want to read
July 10, 2020
I read the 2018 edition. It does what it sets to, but feels very dry and terse as a book. Still, worth a skim if you're curious about testing or want to get certified.
August 14, 2024
Uma excelente ajuda para estudar para o exame istqb foundation level
May 19, 2025
i don't care, it's a read book lol
February 13, 2017
very helpful
June 4, 2015
The book is quite hard to grasp, a lot of new terminology with tons of explanations, which are either ambiguous or not understandable at least for beginner level in test and test management. I miss better explanations with exact examples.
April 21, 2014
Good for ISTQB certification. It helped me a lot
June 19, 2015
will come handy as a reference for the foundation level exam but more experienced QA professionals probably know a lot of this book's material just from everyday exposure to QA tasks
April 27, 2015
VERY GOOD FOR CERTIFICATION
Currently reading
May 26, 2017Which is the latest edition of rex black istqb?
Read
June 16, 2017Um bom livro para quem esta iniciando na area de tester de software boa para para a certificação
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews