Approved Linguistic research by a fellow Type 1

angela.lou

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Hello all!

My name is Angeliki, and I am a doctoral researcher in Applied Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. Most importantly, I have been living with Type 1 diabetes for 13 years now, which has been the main source of motivation for the current study.
In this PhD project, I am investigating the language that people and organisations use to talk about diabetes in the UK, focussing on the use of metaphors (for example, is diabetes seen as a fight, a journey, a full-time job?). For this purpose, as part of my research, I will collect different threads that have been produced in this forum in order to find out any diabetes-related metaphors that are commonly used. My aim is to examine the functions and the possible effects of these metaphors, so as to see whether some metaphors can be more beneficial than others when we talk about the condition and whether some metaphors can contribute to shaping certain attitudes towards diabetes. The results are hoped to be used in the form of specialised and empirically based guidelines which can help communicate the condition more sensitively and effectively and raise better and more genuine awareness about it. Language matters!;)

The study is text-based, which means that I won’t be using any of your personal information (if provided) in the forum. Additionally, usernames will be replaced by unique identifiers in order to make sure that your identity is protected. Other identifiers such as avatars, pictures, age, or geographical locations will be redacted.

I value your contributions to the forum discussions, and I believe your insights can greatly enrich this research. However, I also want to respect your privacy and preferences. As such, I am reaching out to give you the option to choose whether you would like your posts/comments to be included in my analysis. If you are comfortable with your posts being part of my research, there is no need for any action. Your contributions will remain in the dataset. If, on the other hand, you prefer that your posts are not included in my analysis, please contact me on the forum directly by 13th November. I will promptly remove your contributions from the dataset, ensuring your privacy and preferences are respected.

Your participation is entirely voluntary, and your decision will not affect your standing in the forum community. Your insights are valuable, and your privacy is a priority.

Thank you!:)

Warm regards,
Angeliki

This study has been granted approval by the Ethics Committee of Queen Mary University of London.
This study has been approved by Carson.
 
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Antje77

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Hi @angela.lou , what an interesting subject to study!

English is not my first language, but as an active member and former moderator on this forum I mainly 'have diabetes in English'. After all, I'm seeing the forum every day and my Dutch diabetes nurse and endo only once a year. :hilarious:
I'm very interested in all things to do with language, are you planning to share the results of your research?
I'd love to read it.

Good luck with your project!
 

angela.lou

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Hi @angela.lou , what an interesting subject to study!

English is not my first language, but as an active member and former moderator on this forum I mainly 'have diabetes in English'. After all, I'm seeing the forum every day and my Dutch diabetes nurse and endo only once a year. :hilarious:
I'm very interested in all things to do with language, are you planning to share the results of your research?
I'd love to read it.

Good luck with your project!
Thank you for your kind words @Antje77 ! I will definitely share the results with you :)
 
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LivingLightly

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What a fascinating project! I hope you will be able to share the results with us.

Diabetes is a very individual disorder. Diabetics often speak of their personal journey to better blood glucose control and, to continue the metaphor, finding a path to good health.
 

Antje77

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Diabetes is a very individual disorder. Diabetics often speak of their personal journey to better blood glucose control and, to continue the metaphor, finding a path to good health.
I think both of these are more often used by T2's who are largely managing their diabetes with diet than by T1's, interesting.

Two words I strongly dislike in relation to diabetes are 'sufferers' and 'warriors'. I'm not suffering from diabetes, 'usually mildly annoyed' describes me much better.
And I'm definitely not a 'warrior! For one, I have no choice to manage my diabetes as well as I can, and secondly, I'm not fighting against diabetes, I'm trying to work with it.

And then there is the interesting case of choosing between 'a person with diabetes' or 'a diabetic'.
Feelings on this one are strong, and discussions on it can get heated from both camps.
I definitely prefer 'diabetic', others feel being referred to as 'a diabetic' is very wrong.
 

Rokaab

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If you are comfortable with your posts being part of my research, there is no need for any action. Your contributions will remain in the dataset. If, on the other hand, you prefer that your posts are not included in my analysis, please contact me on the forum directly by 13th November. I will promptly remove your contributions from the dataset, ensuring your privacy and preferences are respected.

Your participation is entirely voluntary, and your decision will not affect your standing in the forum community. Your insights are valuable, and your privacy is a priority.

Just as a query, should this not be an opt-in rather than having to message to opt-out - especially given the title of the thread may mean many may not even see the post as they may not think its applicable to them?
 
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Zhnyaka

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it seems to me that your research will lose a significant part of the data due to the fact that many people talk about their diabetes in words that would be turned into *** by this forum :D

I hardly speak English, but I would love to read your research
 

angela.lou

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Just as a query, should this not be an opt-in rather than having to message to opt-out - especially given the title of the thread may mean many may not even see the post as they may not think its applicable to them?
Thank you for this observation @Rokaab! Research shows that when people are aware that they are being observed, or that they produce language in a researcher-initiated environment, their contributions might be different or at least affected by the fact that they are being observed. So after loooong discussions with the ethics and my research supervisor, I decided to use posts from the past, rather than initiate new discussions tailored to specific questions I would ask you. This is a standard practice in linguistics, but I completely understand your concerns!
Do you think I should change the title or post this elsewhere?
 
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Antje77

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Thank you for this observation @Rokaab! Research shows that when people are aware that they are being observed, or that they produce language in a researcher-initiated environment, their contributions might be different or at least affected by the fact that they are being observed. So after loooong discussions with the ethics and my research supervisor, I decided to use posts from the past, rather than initiate new discussions tailored to specific questions I would ask you. This is a standard practice in linguistics, but I completely understand your concerns!
Do you think I should change the title or post this elsewhere?
I would agree with your ethics committee and Carson that this is an ethical way of obtaining data.
Everything on the forum is available to all, member or not, and you will make sure no personal information (even anonymous usernames) will be in your results.

I think disclosing your research like you did would be enough (and your ethics committee wouldn't have agreed if it weren't).
 
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Antje77

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it seems to me that your research will lose a significant part of the data due to the fact that many people talk about their diabetes in words that would be turned into *** by this forum :D

I hardly speak English, but I would love to read your research
If data will be obtained by this forum only, the likely conclusion will be that diabetics have an unusual preference for the use of asterisks compared to the general public, and also an unusual aversion to the use of any words that can be seen as profanity or cursing. :hilarious:
 

Pipp

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Just a reminder to forum members, should they prefer not to have their posts used in the data analysis, they should opt out by sending a PM to the researcher, @angela.lou , by 13 November.
 

lovinglife

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Just bumping the thread to remind forum members if they want to opt out of the research to send a quick PM @angela.lou to let her know your preference by the 13th November :)
 
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Pipp

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Just bumping this for visibility .:)
 

Grant_Vicat

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If data will be obtained by this forum only, the likely conclusion will be that diabetics have an unusual preference for the use of asterisks compared to the general public, and also an unusual aversion to the use of any words that can be seen as profanity or cursing. :hilarious:
For 45 years I have referred to diabetes as The Old B***! Find that in a dictionary!
 
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plantae

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I don't know if I even have type 1 diabetes. Five (yes, five now) endocrinologists have said that that I do NOT have T2 and I am therefore T1. I'm happy with that diagnosis which is why I changed my type from 3c to type 1. Type 3c doesn't exist in my country (Australia). Just T1 and T2
 
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Antje77

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I don't know if I even have type 1 diabetes. Five (yes, five now) endocrinologists have said that that I do NOT have T2 and I am therefore T1. I'm happy with that diagnosis which is why I changed my type from 3c to type 1. Type 3c doesn't exist in my country (Australia). Just T1 and T2
I'm not sure why you think T3C doesn't exist in Australia, it most certainly does. Here are some Australian links on it: https://www.adea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Abbott-Case-Study-Competition-booklet-2022.pdf (page 70), https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/concern-type-3-diabetes-being-misdiagnosed/wyudx0fkq, https://endocrinology.medicinetoday...sed-pancreatic-dysfunction-what-you-need-know, https://www.elitegc.com.au/2017/11/08/breaking-news-a-new-type-of-diabetes/
 
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HSSS

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Do you think I should change the title or post this elsewhere?
I initially thought it related only to type 1. Perhaps that part of the title could be amended as I’m sure I’m not alone in this

Also there is no suggestion in the title - til you read the thread - that it concerns ability to withhold consent to use retrospective comments. A great many people will skip the thread having no idea their comments will be analysed and thus not be able to withhold consent.

For the record I’ve said whatever I’ve said on a publicly viewable platform so I’ve no issues with it being analysed as you describe.
 
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