  Context: Tertiary studies in software engineering (TS@SE) are widely used to
synthesise evidence on a research topic systematically. As part of their
protocol, TS@SE define inclusion and exclusion criteria (IC/EC) aimed at
selecting those secondary studies (SS) to be included in the analysis. Aims: To
provide a state of the art on the definition and application of IC/EC in TS@SE,
and from the results of this analysis, we outline an emerging framework,
TSICEC, to be used by SE researchers. Method: To provide the state of the art,
we conducted a systematic mapping (SM) combining automatic search and
snowballing over the body of SE scientific literature, which led to 50 papers
after application of our own IC/EC. The extracted data was synthesised using
content analysis. The results were used to define a first version of TSICEC.
Results: The SM resulted in a coding schema, and a thorough analysis of the
selected papers on the basis of this coding. Our TSICEC framework includes
guidelines for the definition of IC/EC in TS@SE. Conclusion: This paper is a
step forward establishing a foundation for researchers in two ways. As authors,
understanding the different possibilities to define IC/EC and apply them to
select SS. As readers, having an instrument to understand the methodological
rigor upon which TS@SE may claim their findings.
