How to anonymize the manuscript

To ensure double-blind review, authors and reviewers must not be able to identify each other. Before submitting the manuscript:

  • remove from the text the author names, affiliations, acknowledgments that identify people or institutions, and the ethics approval number;
  • in self-citations, use “Author, year” instead of the name and title, in the text and in the references;
  • remove personal data from the file properties, as shown below.

Microsoft Word 365 (Windows)

  1. File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document.
  2. Check Document Properties and Personal Information and click Inspect.
  3. Click Remove All, close and save the file.

Microsoft Word (macOS)

  1. Tools > Protect Document.
  2. Check Remove personal information from this file on save.
  3. Click OK and save the file.

PDF (supplementary files)

  1. File > Properties.
  2. Delete the name in the Author field.
  3. Click OK and save the file.

More rules in Author guidelines.

Updated on 20 October 2026.