# Missing data and sensitivity analysis

Decision workbook and teaching example · 2026-10-06

The completed case is fictional. Its values and decisions are not actual findings; complete your project using relevant permissions, methods and requirements.

- Project: ____________________
- Researcher and role: ____________________
- Date and version: ____________________
- Data seen before the decision: ____________________
- Aim and scope: ____________________

## Completed example

| Stage/decision | Example | Check or action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Count | 12 of 100 in the example | Logged by variable and time? |
| Reason | Known, unknown or hypothesized | Are guesses labeled? |
| Assumption | Defensible missingness mechanism | Are evidence and limits stated? |
| Method | Justified deletion or imputation | Compatible with design and analysis? |
| Sensitivity | Defensible alternative assumption | Are changes in results reported? |

## Complete your own record

| Topic | Actual decision and reason | Evidence link and status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Count | __________ | __________ |
| Reason | __________ | __________ |
| Assumption | __________ | __________ |
| Method | __________ | __________ |
| Sensitivity | __________ | __________ |

## Completion checks

- [ ] Prepare a missingness map, method rationale and sensitivity table.

## Changes and limitations

| Date | Change | Data known at decision time | Reason | Consequence for claim | Reviewer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ | __________ |

## Sources and further reading

- [mice for R — Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations](https://amices.org/mice/reference/mice.html)
- [Cornell Data Services — Data management](https://data.research.cornell.edu/data-management/)
- [American Statistical Association — Statement on p-values](https://www.amstat.org/asa/files/pdfs/p-valuestatement.pdf)

Related guide: https://didgar-research-site1.vercel.app/en/guides/missing-data/