With the increasing role that software systems play in our daily lives, software quality has become extremely important. Software quality is impacted by the efficiency of the software testing process. There are a growing number of software testing methodologies, models, and initiatives to satisfy the need to improve software quality. The main assumption in these methodologies has been that software testing is principally a technology phenomenon and inadequate attention has been given to understanding of information in relation to the people who are using them in this field. The purpose of this research is to investigate use of information by people in software testing. This research was done using grounded theory as it provided the best tools for theory generation from the collected field data. Data was gathered by interviewing thirty-four software testers. This study investigates how software testers conceptualize, seek, and use information. In addition, this study explores the effect of organizational, behavioral, and ethical factors influencing software testing. The main finding of the research is a framework of the use of information in software testing. The framework of information use has eight main categories: information seeking elements, domain knowledge, individual role context, organizational environment, meta-information, testing strategy, information use behaviors, and decision making process information use behaviors being the core category. The study also shows that project size and duration play a key role in information seeking, information use behaviors, and testing methodology used. Whereas small projects tend to be more context driven and ad hoc, the more complex and lengthier the software project gets the more it tends to follow some sort of best practices and a more standard model driven approach. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]