JFLAP Publications

- we list papers we have published and others have published that refer to JFLAP

Books

Susan Rodger and Thomas Finley, JFLAP - An Interactive Formal Languages and Automata Package, ISBN 0763738344, Jones and Bartlett, 2006. info

CD Supplement with JFLAP exercises by Linz and Rodger published Dec. 2008 (see Supplement on this page). This CD has JFLAP examples and exercises chapter by chapter to fit with the Linz book mentioned below.

Papers we have published

Susan H. Rodger, Eric Wiebe, Kyung Min Lee, Chris Morgan, Kareem Omar, and Jonathan Su, Increasing Engagement in Automata Theory with JFLAP, Fourtieth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, p.403-407, 2009. pdf

Susan H. Rodger, Jinghui Lim, and Stephen Reading, Increasing Interaction and Support in the Formal Languages and Automata Theory Course, The 12th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE 2007), p. 58-62, 2007. pdf

Susan H. Rodger, Bart Bressler, Thomas Finley, and Stephen Reading, Turning Automata Theory into a Hands-on Course, Thirty-seventh SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 2006 (p. 379-383) pdf

Ryan Cavalcante, Thomas Finley and Susan H. Rodger, A Visual and Interactive Automata Theory Course with JFLAP 4.0, Thirty-fifth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 2004 (p.140-144). pdf

S. H. Rodger, Using Hands-on Visualizations to Teach Computer Science from Beginning Courses to Advanced Courses, Second Program Visualization Workshop, Hornstrup Centert, Denmark, p. 103-112, June 2002. pdf (first draft)

T. Hung and S. H. Rodger, Increasing Visualization and Interaction in the Automata Theory Course, Thirty-first SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, p. 6-10, 2000. html and ps

E. Gramond and S. H. Rodger, Using JFLAP to Interact with Theorems in Automata Theory, Thirtieth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, p. 336-340, 1999. pdf

E. Gramond and S. H. Rodger, JFLAP: An Aid to Studying Theorems in Automata Theory, Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education, Dublin, Ireland, p. 302, 1998.

A. O. Bilska, K. H. Leider, M. Procopiuc, O. Procopiuc, S. H. Rodger, J. R. Salemme and E. Tsang, A Collection of Tools for Making Automata Theory and Formal Languages Come Alive, Twenty-eighth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, p. 15-19, 1997. pdf

M. Procopiuc, O. Procopiuc, and S. Rodger, Visualization and Interaction in the Computer Science Formal Languages Course with JFLAP, 1996 Frontiers in Education Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, p. 121-125, 1996. pdf

S. H. Rodger, Integrating Hands-On Work into the Formal Languages Course via Tools and Programming, Workshop on Implementing Automata, Lecture Notes In Computer Science 1260, Springer-Verlag, p. 132-148, 1996. (this version is an early draft) pdf

D. Caugherty, and S. H. Rodger, NPDA: A Tool for Visualizing and Simulating Nondeterministic Pushdown Automata, in Computational Support for Discrete Mathematics, DIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science, Vol. 15, N. Dean and G. E. Shannon (ed.), American Mathematical Society, 1994, 365-377. (book)

S. Blythe, M. James, and S. H. Rodger, LLparse and LRparse: Visual and Interactive Tools for Parsing, Proceedings of the Twenty-fifth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 1994, 208-212.(pdf)

E. Luce and S. H. Rodger, A Visual Programming Environment for Turing Machines, Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages, 1993, 231-236.

M. LoSacco and S. H. Rodger, FLAP: A Tool for Drawing and Simulating Automata, ED-MEDIA 93, World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 1993, 310-317.

Papers others have published using JFLAP

J. Jarvis and J. M. Lucas, Incorporating Transformations into JFLAP for Enhanced Understanding of Automata. ACM SIGSCE Bulletin, Volume 40, Issue 1, p. 14-18, March 2008.

Jarvis (AMD) and Lucas (SUNY, College at Brockport) modified JFLAP using a plug-in system that allows transformation to and from any automata. The goal was to assist in instructing students about topics such as the Church-Turing thesis and the theory of undecidability. The modified version of JFLAP was implemented in coursework at SUNY Brockport College.
A. Merceron and K. Yacef, Web-Based Learning Tools: Storing Usage Data Makes a Difference. Proceeding of the Sixth IASTED International Conference Web-Based Education - Volume 2, p. 104-109. Chamonix, France 2007.

Merceron and Yacef conducted analysis on the usage of JFLAP and Logic-ITA (A web-based tutoring system for logical formal proofs) and student feedback. JFLAP's usage as an extra resource in coursework at the University of Applied Science in Berlin was investigated using student surveys. The study verified JFLAP's benefits for students and found that the students who tried the tool praised its utility.
C. I. Chesnevar, M. L. Cobo, and W. Yurcik, Using Theoretical Computer Simulators for Formal Languages and Automata Theory. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, Volume 35, Issue 2, p. 33-37. New York, NY 2003.

Chesnevar, Cobo, and Yurcik's paper describes testing of several software tools used for teaching formal languages and automata theory at the Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina. The useful capability of JFLAP for students to integrate automata theory with the associated grammars was noted. The paper illustrated the efficacy of using multiple simulators on the same topics to enhance student understanding.
A. R. M. Verma, A Visual and Interactive Automata Theory Course Emphasizing Breadth of Automata. Annual Joint Conference Integrating Technology into Computer Science Education, Proceedings of the 10th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, p. 325-329. Caparica, Portugal 2005.

Verma describes a revision in a Theory of Computing course program at the University of Houston that uses a modified version of JFLAP as a basis for more visualized teaching of automata theory. Student evaluations for the course responded positvely to the changes and some students were inspired by the changes to pursue further work on the course and materials.
A. J. Rocker, C. M. Yauch, S. Yenduri, L.A. Perkins, and F. Zand, Paper-Based Dichotomous Key to Computer Based Application For Biological Identification. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, Volume 22, Issue 5, p. 30-38, May 2007.

Researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi used JFLAP to design deterministic finite automata as alternatives to traditonally used, paper-based dichotomous keys for biological identification in taxonomy.
A. L. Salmela and J. Tarhio. ACE: Automated Compiler Exercises. Kolin Kolistelut - Koli Calling 2004, Proceedings of the Fourth Finnish/Baltic Sea Conference on Computer Science Education. Koli, Finland 2004.

Salmela and Tarhio at the Helsinki University of Techonology have used JFLAP as a foundation for their Automated Compiler Exercises to be used in coursework. Their automation of assignments using JFLAP code is designed to increase interactivity by making constructive feedback immediate and implementing visualizations.
Y. K. Tsay, Y. F. Chen, and K. N. Wu. Tool Support for Learning Buchi Automata and Linear Temporal Logic. Formal Methods in the Teaching Lab, Examples, Cases, Assignments, and Projects Enhancing Formal Methods Education. A Workshop at the Formal Methods 2006 Symposium, August 2006.

Tsay, Chen, and Wu created GOAL (Graphical interactive tool for Omega-Automata and temporal Logic) to help instruct students on Buchi automata and linear temporal logic with the usage and help of JFLAP code.
Y. K. Tsay, T. F. Chen, M. H. Tsai, W. C. Chan, C. J. Luo. Goal Extended: Towards a Research Tool for Omega Automata and Temporal Logic. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS 2008), LNCS 4963, 346--350, March/April, 2008.

GOAL uses and modifies JFLAP source code as software for researching Omega automata and temporal logic.
Y. K. Tsay, Y. F. Chen, M. H. Tsai, K. N. Wu, W. C. Chan. GOAL: A Graphical Tool for Manipulating Buchi Automata and Temporal Formulae. In Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS 2007), LNCS 4424, 466--471, March/April, 2007.
L. A. Sanchis, Computer Laboratories For The Theory of Computing Course. Journal of Computing Sciences In Colleges, Volume 16, Issue 4, p. 262-269, 2001.

Sanchis uses JfLAP for a variety of laboratory activities, which are described in the article. Many of JFLAP's featured automata are utilized interactively in the labs. JFLAP is a popularly chosen option among students for constructing finite automata that recognizes tokens appearing in C++.

If you know of other papers that mention JFLAP, please send us the link at jflap "at" cs.duke.edu. A short description of how the paper uses JFLAP would also be appreciated.