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To ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of individuals involved in a study, researchers must avoid including names or other personally identifying information within the research data. Instead, they assign a unique numerical identifier to each participant as they are tested, often simply numbering them consecutively starting from $$1$$. This participant identification number is then recorded on all generated response sheets, questionnaires, and data files, allowing the researcher to securely organize and link an individual's data together without exposing their personal identity.

Participant Identification Number

Why do researchers assign a unique participant identification number to individuals instead of recording their names on response sheets and data files?

A researcher replaces each participant's name with a unique number on all questionnaires and data files. The primary reason for this practice is to allow the researcher to organize data more quickly during data entry, not to protect the participant's personal identity.

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