Depersonalising a spreadsheet by removing identifying columns

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. What should you do FIRST before removing identifying columns from a spreadsheet?

A Delete the Name column straight away

B Save a copy of the original file

2. Which column should you remove to depersonalise a class survey spreadsheet?

A Home address

B Hours of sleep per night

3. You are sharing a spreadsheet with another class. Which is safer?

A Hide the Name column

B Delete the Name column

4. Which statement about hiding a column is true?

A The data is still in the file and can be unhidden

B The data is permanently removed from the file

5. You want to keep track of each row without using names. What could you do?

A Replace each name with an ID number such as 101

B Replace each name with the student's initials

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Right-click column A > Delete		AHidden columns still hold the data and anyone can unhide them, so the identifying details are still shared
2Right-click column C > Hide		BOnly conceals the Address column on screen; the data is still in the file and can be unhidden
3Before deleting any columns, save a copy of the original so you keep the full data safe		CNo copy of the original was saved first, so the full data is lost and cannot be checked or used again
4Replace names with ID numbers so each row can still be told apart without naming the person		DFile > Save a Copy > survey_original.xlsx
5Hide the Name and Birth Date columns, then email the sheet to the whole class		EPermanently removes the Name column so the people in the sheet can no longer be identified by it
6Delete the Name column from survey.xlsx and save, with no copy made first		FA2: ="P"&TEXT(ROW()-1,"000")

Definitions

depersonalise

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

_________("Survey", "Survey_original")

_____________("Name")

___________("Address") # Still readable if the file is shared

=___()-1

=IF(D2=_,"Re-identifiable","Safe")

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A save copy: survey_orig.xlsx

B delete column Name

C delete column Maths mark

D share the cleaned file

Question 2

A save copy: survey_orig.xlsx

B open survey.xlsx

C delete column Name

D share survey_orig.xlsx

Question 3

A edit marks.xlsx without a copy

B delete column Name

C delete column Birth date

Question 4

A save copy: fitness_orig.xlsx

B add column ID: 1, 2, 3, ...

C delete column Name

D hide column Home address

Question 5

A open class_orig.xlsx

B delete column Name

C delete column Birth date

D keep class_orig.xlsx private

Answer Key

Depersonalising a spreadsheet by removing identifying columns

Section A: Quick Questions

B — Save a copy of the original file

A — Home address

B — Delete the Name column

A — The data is still in the file and can be unhidden

A — Replace each name with an ID number such as 101

Section B: Match the Pairs

Right-click column A > Delete → Permanently removes the Name column so the people in the sheet can no longer be identified by it

Right-click column C > Hide → Only conceals the Address column on screen; the data is still in the file and can be unhidden

Before deleting any columns, save a copy of the original so you keep the full data safe → File > Save a Copy > survey_original.xlsx

Replace names with ID numbers so each row can still be told apart without naming the person → A2: ="P"&TEXT(ROW()-1,"000")

Hide the Name and Birth Date columns, then email the sheet to the whole class → Hidden columns still hold the data and anyone can unhide them, so the identifying details are still shared

Delete the Name column from survey.xlsx and save, with no copy made first → No copy of the original was saved first, so the full data is lost and cannot be checked or used again

Section C: Definitions

depersonalise — Save a copy first, then delete columns that identify people (name, address, birth date) so only data needed for analysis remains. Hiding is not enough when sharing.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

save_copy("Survey", "Survey_original")

delete_column("Name")

hide_column("Address")
# Still readable if the file is shared

=ROW()-1

=IF(D2=1,"Re-identifiable","Safe")

Section E: Spot the Error

C — The Address column identifies people and must be deleted. Deleting Maths mark removes data the analysis needs and leaves the addresses in the file. Line 3 should be: delete column Address.

D — survey_orig.xlsx is the untouched copy that still has the names. Sharing it leaks identifying data. Share the cleaned file, survey.xlsx, and keep the original private.

A — Save a copy of the original first. If you delete columns without a copy, the original data is lost for good. Line 1 should be: save copy: marks_orig.xlsx.

D — Hiding a column only hides it from view. Anyone who receives the file can unhide it and see the addresses. To depersonalise before sharing, delete the column.

A — You should do the deleting in the copy, not the original. Opening class_orig.xlsx means the edits would destroy the original data. Line 1 should open class_copy.xlsx.