How to Handle Missing Survey Data
Decide how to treat skipped questions, incomplete responses, and missing covariates.
The Short Version
Decide how to treat skipped questions, incomplete responses, and missing covariates. A practical way to begin is to separate incomplete starts from completed responses, then identify required and optional questions. Finish by making sure you run sensitivity checks when missingness affects key variables. The full walkthrough below explains each part in order.
Is This Guide for You?
Researchers cleaning survey and conjoint data before analysis.
Follow These Steps
Work through these 6 steps at your own pace. The wording is intentionally practical, and you can return to the checklist at the end when you are ready to review your work.
- Separate incomplete starts from completed responses.
- Identify required and optional questions.
- Check whether missingness happened before or after treatment.
- Document exclusion or imputation decisions.
- Keep raw missing values in the audit file.
- Run sensitivity checks when missingness affects key variables.
What This Helps You Accomplish
Missing data can change sample composition and subgroup estimates. A written handling rule makes analysis more transparent.
A Quick Confidence Check
- Do not silently drop observations.
- Treat pretreatment and post-treatment missingness differently.
- Report final sample sizes.
- Archive raw data.
Common Questions
Can I use this guide if I am new to this?
Yes. Researchers cleaning survey and conjoint data before analysis. Follow the steps in order, start with a small test, and use the final checklist before you field or report anything important.
What is the simplest way to get started?
Begin by separate incomplete starts from completed responses. Next, identify required and optional questions. You do not need to perfect every setting before running a small preview or pilot.
How do I know when I am ready?
Use the confidence check above. In particular: Do not silently drop observations. Treat pretreatment and post-treatment missingness differently. Report final sample sizes. Archive raw data. When the decision is consequential, keep your study documentation and ask a qualified colleague or methods reviewer to examine the design as well.
Related Guides
Research artifact: sample data, codebook, and scriptsResearch Pathways
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