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Education Library: Referencing Guide 6th edition: Anonymous Sources

Citing anonymous sources

  • In general when you are using an anonymous source, this will mean that they can't be retrieved as they can't be referred to directly therefore there is no need to add an entry into your reference list (giving an URL or other information would likely identify the source).
  • Whether you use a pseudonym or in the case of multiple sources list them as 'School A' etc you do need to make it clear in the body of your text that these are anonymous sources and therefore would not have an entry in the reference list.
  • If you need to anonymise comments from participants in a research survey then you can discuss comments and secure confidentiality by referring to participants by their role rather than their name their roles (e.g Teacher, student), or use your own code, or use pseudonyms
  • You can include anonymised excerpts of a study or report in your appendix (as long as confidentiality is maintained), if so refer to the appendix in-text.

*Please note that you should not use Anon. or Anonymous in an in-text citation unless the author has specifically been stated as such in the source*

*For works where there is no author you need to start the reference with the title information instead*

 

Anonymous sources

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