# Rejection of continuous data segments

**URL:** <https://mne.discourse.group/t/rejection-of-continuous-data-segments/5613>\
**Category:** Support & Discussions\
**Tags:** preprocessing\
**Created:** [September 21, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/rejection-of-continuous-data-segments/5613 "2022-09-21T21:07:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![schemankr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/schemankr/32/2704_2.png) [@schemankr](https://mne.discourse.group/u/schemankr)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/rejection-of-continuous-data-segments/5613/1 "2022-09-21T21:07:38Z")

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Hello, I understand that MNE has a way to manually annotate bad segments of continuous data. However, I am wondering if the reject\_by\_annotation=‘True’ argument that is used in numerous functions permanently removes the bad segments of continuous data or is a temporary way to exclude segments so that they are not considered for the function of interest. If the latter is true, is there a function that permanently rejects segments of raw data? Thank you in advance.

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**Author:** ![richard](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/richard/32/15_2.png) [@richard](https://mne.discourse.group/u/richard)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2022, 5:57am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/rejection-of-continuous-data-segments/5613/2 "2022-09-22T05:57:40Z")

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Hello @schemankr and welcome to the forum!

> [@schemankr](#):
>
> I am wondering if the reject\_by\_annotation=‘True’ argument that is used in numerous functions permanently removes the bad segments of continuous data or is a temporary way to exclude segments

It’s a temporary exclusion of the annotated data.

> [@schemankr](#):
>
> is there a function that permanently rejects segments of raw data?

I don’t think so — you don’t want to cut out parts of your continuous data and glue the rest back together, as this will introduce discontinuities, which will be problematic for many functions. As long as you have the annotations, MNE can at least try to be clever and apply a band-aid when it excludes data.

Best wishes,  
Richard