Which of the following defines the expected results of a test?

A test case specification is the document that provides a detailed description of a single test. According to industry standards like IEEE 829 and the ISTQB syllabus, a fundamental component of a test case specification is the definition of the 'expected results'. This section precisely describes the anticipated outcome or state of the software after the test steps are executed with specified inputs. The actual results are then compared against these expected results to determine whether the test has passed or failed.

B. Test design specification: This document outlines the overall test strategy and identifies features to be tested, but not the specific expected results for each test case.
C. Test procedure specification: This specifies the sequence of actions for executing a test (the 'how-to'), not the predicted outcome of that execution.
D. Test results: This refers to the actual outcome observed after executing a test, which is then compared against the predefined expected result.

1. ISTQB® Glossary of Testing Terms (Version 4.0). The definition for "Test Case" states: "A set of preconditions, inputs, actions (where applicable), expected results and postconditions, developed based on test conditions." This directly links expected results to the test case.

2. IEEE Std 829-2008, "IEEE Standard for Software and System Test Documentation". Section 5.4, "Test Case Specification," requires a dedicated section for "Expected results." It defines this as specifying "the required, observable outcomes from executing the test case."

3. Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. In Chapter 18, "Software Testing Strategies," the book describes the anatomy of a test case, explicitly including "a list of expected outputs or results" as a critical element. This text is standard in university software engineering curricula.