Instructions for Anonymous Manuscript Annotation Page 1
Instructions for Anonymous Manuscript Annotation
Confidentiality of reviewers can be maintained by changing a few settings in Adobe Acrobat or
Microsoft Word either BEFORE or AFTER comments and edits are made on a manuscript.
Do not use your name in the filename of the review.
Before Editing:
Adobe Acrobat Professional (including version 9): There are two steps to maintain
confidentiality when editing a PDF file.
1. Stop using the log-in name as the author
a. Open the file you want to edit. Under Edit, select Preferences.
b. In the Commenting category, under Making Comments uncheck the box, Always use
Log-in Name for Author Name
c. Click OK
2. Change the default properties of comments
a. Insert your first comment by editing the manuscript text or adding a comment (To add a
comment from the Tools menu, select Comment & Markup, then Sticky Note. Then click
the cursor where you want to add a comment.)
b. Right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac OS) the comment or edit and select
Properties.
c. Under General delete the author name. Type in “Reviewer” or “Anonymous” or leave the
author field blank.
d. Check the box Make Properties Default to make all subsequent comments and edits
confidential.
e. Click “Okay.”
Microsoft Word 2010 (version 14):
1. Open the document you want to edit. In the Review tab, click the arrow next to Track
Changes, then click Change User Name.
2. Select the General tab. Change the User Name in “Personalize your copy of Office” to
“Reviewer” or “Anonymous”. Change the Initials as well. Click OK. Note: The name and
initials entered here are used by all MS Office programs. Any changes made to these setting
will affect other Office programs.
3. Existing comments already in the document are NOT affected by changes to the name and
initials; all comments made AFTER the name change are affected.
4. For older versions of Word, access the Document Information Panel through the Microsoft
Office Button > Word Options > Popular > Personalize your copy of Office. Also select
Tools > Options > User Information to change the Name. Replace the identity in the Name
box with “Reviewer” or “Anonymous”. The Name will also appear in the Author box on the
Summary tab under File > Properties.
5. Note: If you convert your Word document to an Adobe Acrobat PDF, identifying features
WILL appear in the PDF file properties unless you change them using one of the methods
above.