Results produced using qualitative research methods must also be anonymous and meet the definition of anonymous data.
If possible, a minimum frequency of three should be used in published results to ensure data protection. If this is not possible, results must be processed so that individual persons cannot be identified directly or indirectly.
The method of forming the target group affects the risk of identification. Identification risk is higher if the target group includes all the persons meeting certain inclusion criteria compared to a situation where the target group is selected randomly or by sampling.
Especially when publishing quotations from text, you as the producer of the results have to ensure that the quotation does not enable the identification of an individual or event. The risk of identification increases if the quotation contains details of an individual or event or if it concerns a rare phenomenon.
- More information on the anonymisation of qualitative material and related methods is available in Finnish on the Finnish Social Science Data Archive website: Laadullisen aineiston anonymisointi (fsd.tuni.fi).
- See also Example 5.