Anonymous literally translates to “without a name.” When data is collected anonymously, it means no information about the person’s identity is collected. In other words, there is no way for anyone to know who supplied the information. For example, a survey where respondents do not include any personal information such as name or address is anonymous. In contrast, confidential means the researchers know who supplied the information, but they promise to keep it private.

See also: confidentiality

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