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How can I assess the impact of missing data on my analysis results?
Asked on Jan 27, 2026
Answer
Assessing the impact of missing data on analysis results is crucial to ensure the validity and reliability of your findings. This process typically involves understanding the pattern and mechanism of missingness, evaluating how it affects your statistical models or predictions, and deciding on appropriate handling techniques.
Example Concept: To assess the impact of missing data, first determine the missing data mechanism (MCAR, MAR, or MNAR) using statistical tests or visualizations. Then, perform sensitivity analysis by comparing results from different imputation methods (e.g., mean imputation, multiple imputation) and complete case analysis. This helps in understanding how missing data could bias your results and in selecting the most robust method for handling it.
Additional Comment:
- MCAR (Missing Completely at Random) means missingness is unrelated to data values.
- MAR (Missing at Random) implies missingness is related to observed data but not the missing data itself.
- MNAR (Missing Not at Random) indicates missingness is related to the unobserved data.
- Use visualizations like missingness heatmaps or pairwise plots to explore patterns.
- Consider domain knowledge to guide the choice of imputation or analysis strategy.
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