Imputation
Filling in a missing value with an estimate, such as the column average or a value predicted from other columns.
Imputed values are invented. They can make an analysis possible, and they should always be marked so nobody mistakes them for observations.
Where it comes up
- Disguised missing valuesA cell is not empty, but what it holds means there is no value: N/A, a dash, 999, or the word none.
See also
- Missing valueA cell where a value should exist and does not. The reason matters: not collected, not applicable, and lost are different situations.
- NullThe explicit marker a database or file uses for no value. It is different from zero, from an empty string, and from the text NULL typed into a cell.