Can reusing software reduce the cost of testing without sacrificing quality? This paper surveys the relevant literature (114 references) to find answers. It describes the varieties of reuse: components, frameworks, and product lines. It also defines the kinds of tests, focusing on the scope of the test, which range from unit tests to integration and acceptance tests. The authors note the early emergence of regression testing and the search for a cost-effective selection of tests to be repeated when software is changed. They describe the work done on domain-based testing, model-based testing, test patterns, test frameworks, built-in tests, and so on. There are two special sections on reusing tests in object-oriented software and in software product families.

The research fails to answer the initial question, because the references describe possibilities but apparently do not provide evidence that the process works. Most papers seem to be pure advocacy, prompting one to wonder if anyone has developed any theory, experience, experiments, or statistics. Despite all that, this survey provides a useful and unique introduction to the area of reuse and testing in software engineering.