Even anonymous papers aren't fully anonymous. Not only are any mentions of previous work a dead giveaway, but knowing the topic lets you narrow down to the rese

Even anonymous papers aren't fully anonymous. Not only are any mentions of previous work a dead giveaway, but knowing the topic lets you narrow down to the research groups are currently working on the issue. Not to mention writing style. If your field is small enough you might be able to identify the writer just by his mannerisms.