What method is used to ensure that data are made anonymous?

The method mentioned in the response, which involves the destruction of identifiers connected to the data, is an effective approach to ensure that data are made anonymous. When identifiers such as names, social security numbers, or any other unique identifiers are removed or destroyed, it significantly reduces the risk of individuals being recognized or linked to their information. This process helps to protect the privacy of participants and maintains the confidentiality of sensitive data.

While other methods like stripping personal names and addresses, summarizing data into groups, and using pseudonyms each have their uses in research, the complete destruction of identifiers is the most direct approach to achieving true anonymity. Stripping names may still leave other identifying information intact, summarizing data could allow for potential identification based on group characteristics, and pseudonyms, while they obscure individual identities, do not eliminate the underlying risk of re-identification if other data is available. Thus, destroying identifiers is a critical step in ensuring that data cannot be traced back to individual participants.