PsycCRITIQUES November 14, 2007, Vol. 52, No. 46, Article 9 © 2007 American Psychological Association Plans for Completion, but Necessary Imputations A Review of Missing Data: A Gentle Introduction by Patrick E. McKnight, Katherine M. McKnight, Souraya Sidani, and Aurelio José Figueredo New York: Guilford Press, 2007. 266 pp. ISBN 978-1-59385-394-5 (hardcover); ISBN 978-1-59385-393-8 (paperback). $60.00, hardcover; $38.00, paperback http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0009824 Reviewed by Francis C. Staskon As Gerald van Belle (2002) stated in his book on rules of thumb in statistics “The best rule is: Don't have any missing data. Unfortunately, that is unrealistic. Therefore, plan for missing data and develop strategies to account for them. Do this before starting the study…” (p. 146). These succinct sentences sum up the issue for missing data as detailed in the reviewed book Missing Data: A Gentle Introduction, which presents the many approaches developed to address missing data. Gentle, as in a simplified version, the book Missing Data offers solutions and guides for the problem of missing data as it relates to research design and statistical analyses, suited for a novice's understanding of the complexities inherent in this topic. Although the chosen writing style is a rather redundant one of “tell them again what was just told,” the book does succeed in providing a comprehensive and nuanced discussion of the complexities and variety of solutions. It also offers approaches to reduce the likelihood of obtaining missing data by considering research procedures or design. This book serves as one of the better introductions to this topic for students and will be useful for others seeking a more general overview of approaches for missing data. Having taken a summer graduate-level course with Roderick Little and attended a number of local chapter American Statistical Association presentations related to this topic, I appreciated reviewing the book for its overview and synthesis of known statistical solutions, along with the practical techniques suggested to prevent the occurrence of missing data. This book is unique in addressing not only the statistical issues but also in its coverage on preventing the occurrence of missing data as research is planned or conducted, and how missing data should be presented in publications. Missing Data is composed of 12 chapters that begin with the prevalence of missing data and its impact. Unique to this book is the suggestion that a cost–benefit approach to missing data be implemented to facilitate a more functional approach to the topic. The proposed fourfold functional approach would address the origins of missing data in order to reduce its