In research studies, what does "anonymity" mean?

In research studies, "anonymity" specifically refers to the condition in which the identities of participants are not disclosed to anyone, including the researchers themselves. This means that regardless of the data collection methods used, researchers have no way of linking the data back to the individual participants. The goal of ensuring anonymity is to protect participants' privacy and encourage them to provide honest and accurate responses without fear of identification or repercussions.

While there are other important concepts related to participant rights, such as the ability to withdraw from the study and the secure storage of data, these do not define anonymity. Fulfilling the aim of maintaining anonymity hinges on the complete separation of individuals from their responses, hence preserving their confidentiality and privacy throughout the research process.