What problem may occur due to malfunctioning software in research?

The selection of the issue of missing data highlights a significant concern that can arise from malfunctioning software during research processes. When software fails or operates incorrectly, it may either not collect data as intended or may fail to store or retrieve the data needed for analysis. This can lead to gaps in the dataset, meaning that important information that should be available for making informed decisions is absent.

For example, if data collection software is crashing or unable to save responses from a survey, researchers may end up with incomplete datasets. These missing values can compromise the reliability and validity of the research findings, as conclusions drawn from incomplete data may not accurately represent the full picture being studied.

In contrast, variable inaccuracy refers to issues with the precision of data points that are present but may not reflect true values, data redundancy involves duplicate records, and improper sampling relates to selecting a non-representative sample. While all of these problems can certainly impact research, missing data specifically addresses the consequences of software malfunctions in terms of data collection and management failures.