Hi Cory, The best way that I know is to create a randomic code for each respondent and remove any timestamp that indicates the order the response was given. You can use the spreadsheet random() function to do that. It is ideal that it be random, just to increase confidentiality a bit, in case the answers' sequential order might identify the respondent in some way. About your concern to "reidentify" if research data was obtained: if someone has the original research data, she/he will always have the means to identify the original respondents, no matter the method you use to anonymize. Good luck on your research! Josir Em sex., 9 de abr. de 2021 às 05:16, Philip Derham < derhamp@derhamresearch.com.au> escreveu:
Hi Cory,
Market researchers have much the same concern about keeping private all that is disclosed by research participants.
Possibly their rules may be of some assistance - at least to formulate some standards for the students? FYC,
https://www.esomar.org/uploads/public/knowledge-and-standards/codes-and-guid...
With best wishes,
Philip Derham, DIRECTOR.
Email: derhamp@derhamresearch.com.au Web: www.derhamresearch.com.au Telephone: (61) 0414 543 765 Latest post: Office: https://tinyurl.com/better-staff-performance 6 Everton Grove, SURREY HILLS, VIC. AU., 3127 Skype: philipderhamdmr Facebook: www.facebook.com/DerhamInsightsResearch Twitter: www.twitter.com/betterresponses LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/philipderham/ YouTube: Mail: Philip Derham (Derham Insights Research) PO Box 51, SURREY HILLS, VICTORIA, AU., 3127
On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 3:47 AM Cory Robinson <cory.robinson@liu.se<mailto: cory.robinson@liu.se>> wrote: HI all,
Two Master’s students I recently met are conducting recorded interviews resulting in texts they will code and quote within their theses. I have given input about how to protect the recorded interviews (encrypted, password protected, not stored in the cloud). I do not work with qual data, so I need help recommending methodology or help for anonymizing quotes in their thesis.
(I am inquiring about this for a student, that unfortunately, has not received helpful advice from their supervisor). ☹
The students assumed they would assign each participating an identification number, and then attribute the quote and ID # in their thesis. However, I feel there is surely a better way to ensure anonymity? (Too easy to reidentify if research data was obtained).
What methods do you utilize for anonymizing individual interview data? Or manuscripts/books helpful for this? Sadly, the students are nearing the end of the study, but late is better than never. (It’s indeed a failure of universities, as well as unequipped supervisors!)
Best, Cory