Referencing App Inventor Code in Academic Papers

Greg Voronin

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Sep 14, 2018, 10:53:51 AM9/14/18

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I created an interface to a novel apparatus using MIT App Inventor. We are currently writing up the apparatus and results derived from using it in a paper. What is the best/recommend way to reference both APP inventor and the code written with it in the paper?

Thanks,

Greg

Abraham Getzler

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Sep 14, 2018, 12:28:59 PM9/14/18

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AI2 is ephemeral, so document your app in different forms and

on different platforms for the long run.

I document each worthwhile app with a Google Doc

sprinkled with screen shots of the Designer,

run time screen shots, important components, layouts, and all blocks down to the

procedure level.

Post this as a pdf somewhere safe.

Post an exported .aia file and compiled .apk somewhere safe, too.

Samples:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1acg2M5KdunKjJgM3Rxpy_Rf6vT6OozxdIWglgbmzroA/edit?usp=sharing

ABG

Evan Patton

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Sep 14, 2018, 1:56:01 PM9/14/18

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Hi Greg,

It's up to you which paper you cite (maybe there is one more relevant to your work), but a general purpose citation would be:

D. Wolber, H. Abelson, and M. Friedman, “Democratizing computing with App Inventor,” Mobile Computing and Communications Review, vol. 18, no. 4, pp 53-58, Oct. 2014.
Abstract: MIT App Inventor is a visual blocks language that enables beginners and non-programmers to create apps for their phones and tablets. It has empowered thousands to create software with real-world usefulness, and see themselves as creators rather than only consumers in the mobile computing environment. Educationally, it offers a ”gateway drug” that can help broaden and diversify participation in computing education.
Peer Reviewed Paper

A complete list of publication is available here. If you need to cite the sources, I would include a web citation to the GitHub repository https://github.com/mit-cml/appinventor-sources. If you are documenting your own code in a paper, you may want to see if you can include additional digital materials (include the AIA) or an appendix with screenshots of the blocks and designer views.