Comparison of two XML query languages from the perspective of learners

Two XML query languages were tested for intuitivity, learnability and memorability. The languages differ with relation to the query structures like the use of variables, iterators and reference to attributes. One of the languages, XQuery, is a procedural, expressive and data-oriented query language...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of information science Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. 584 - 595
Main Authors Lassila, Matti, Junkkari, Marko, Kekäläinen, Jaana
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London, England SAGE Publications 01.10.2015
Bowker-Saur Ltd
Subjects
Artificial intelligence
Comparative analysis
Extensible Markup Language
Iterative methods
Structured Query Language-SQL
Studies
Syntax
query languages
XML query languages
teaching/learning strategies
Pedagogical issues
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Summary:Two XML query languages were tested for intuitivity, learnability and memorability. The languages differ with relation to the query structures like the use of variables, iterators and reference to attributes. One of the languages, XQuery, is a procedural, expressive and data-oriented query language that is suitable even for programming purposes; the other, XIL, is more declarative, document-oriented query language with a simpler syntax. A query-writing test with the learners of the languages was executed. The study indicates that, in the query writing, the more procedural query language yields a greater number of correct queries. Similarity between the tested languages, and to SQL, is discussed from the point of view of learnability.
ISSN:0165-5515
1741-6485
DOI:10.1177/0165551515585259