Shonica D'Anjou

Biography

I am a doctoral researcher in Linguistics at the University of Essex, where my research focuses on the subtle ways gender bias shapes language use. My PhD project, A Comparative Study on Mechanisms of Linguistic Bias: How Language Use Is Influenced by Gender Biases, examines how implicit stereotypes influence both written narratives and spoken descriptions. I am particularly interested in how linguistic abstraction, negation, evaluative framing, and narrative structure reveal underlying social attitudes, often without speakers being consciously aware of them. My broader aim is to develop a refined methodological framework for identifying and analysing subtle manifestations of bias in language. By combining quantitative linguistic measures with qualitative discourse insights, I hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of how gendered assumptions become embedded in everyday communication. This has implications not only for linguistic theory, but also for social cognition, bias research, and the development of equitable communication practices. I previously completed my MA in Linguistics at University College London (UCL), where I specialised in Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics. Alongside my academic work, I have extensive experience working in student support, administration, and higher education environments. This practical background informs my interest in equality, diversity, and inclusion, and motivates my commitment to producing research that deepens our understanding of how bias operates within the communicative patterns of everyday life.

Qualifications

• MA Linguistics UCL (2021)

• BA English Language and Linguistics Anglia Ruskin University (2020)

Thesis