ABSTRACT

Addressing the issue of missing data Missing (or incomplete) data, an almost inevitable occurrence in social science research, may be viewed either as a curse or as a gold mine of untapped resources. As with other life events, the extent to which they are viewed either positively or negatively is a matter of perspective. For example, McArdle (1994) has noted that although the term “missing data” typically conjures up images of negative consequences and problems, such missingness can provide a wealth of information in its own right and, indeed, often serves as a useful part of experimental analyses. (For an interesting example in support of this statement, see Rosén, 1998.) In reality, of course, the issue of terminology is moot. Of import is the extent to which, and pattern by which, data are incomplete, missing, or otherwise unobserved, and the steps taken in addressing the situation.