Key points at a glance
- Replacing a name alone may not prevent identification.
- Check combinations of role, place, event and exact wording.
- Protect participants without silently changing what they said.
Why a quotation may identify someone
An interview quotation may contain a name, but identification is also possible without one. A rare job role, exact date and small institution can combine to make a person recognisable. Consider what people within the research setting already know.
The UK Data Service advises considering direct and indirect identifiers together and planning protection throughout the data process. For your thesis, this means assessing risk before the final PDF rather than only when a quotation is ready to publish.
Develop consistent participant codes
Use neutral identifiers such as “Interview 04” when readers need to connect several statements from one person. Keep the mapping to original records separately and securely. A code is pseudonymisation, not automatic anonymity when contextual clues remain.
During participant information and consent, explain how accounts may be used and potentially made public. An internal assessment and public deposit may call for different protection plans. Follow your institution’s requirements for storage and disclosure.
An original example of careful editing
Invented raw statement: “As the only administrator in programme X, I activated the new platform on 3 April.” Removing a name would not necessarily protect the speaker. A paraphrase describing the sequence may be more suitable if the exact wording and rare role are not needed for analysis.
If verbatim evidence matters, consider a marked generalisation such as “[in an administrative role]” and remove unnecessary place and date detail. Show omissions and substitutions according to your transcription and citation practice. Do not alter the action described or its meaning.
If the quotation remains recognisable after editing, select different evidence or describe the analytical pattern without a long verbatim excerpt. Privacy decisions should not merely optimise presentation convenience.
Check protection and traceability together
Inspect each quotation alongside tables, role descriptions and other quotations. Several harmless-looking details can combine into a profile. When uncertain, consult an authorised reviewer without sending material to people who should not receive it.
Describe your identifier system and types of edits in the methods. State clearly when a passage has been paraphrased and is no longer a verbatim quote. The final account must remain analytically supported and compatible with the protection plan.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Review direct and indirect identifiers.
- Use participant codes consistently.
- Protect the mapping key.
- Mark substitutions and omissions.
- Check quotations in the context of the entire document.
Common mistakes
- Replacing a name while leaving revealing context untouched.
- Silently rewriting a verbatim statement.
- Reviewing each quote individually while ignoring combined clues.
Print and bind your finished thesis
Once you have checked the content and final PDF, configure the printed copies to match your submission requirements.
Configure printing and bindingRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Are pseudonyms sufficient?
Not always. Context and rare attributes may still make someone recognisable. Assess the particular material and intended disclosure.
May I shorten a quotation?
Yes, if the omission is marked under your procedure and does not change the meaning. For sensitive details, a supported paraphrase may be safer than a risky verbatim passage.
Must raw transcripts go in the appendix?
Not as a universal rule. Check assessment, privacy and consent requirements. Transparency can also come from methods documentation and secure retention.