Email: [email protected]

X: @NixxiJ

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niccimacleod/

Bluesky: @drniccimacleod.bsky.social

I am a Reader in Forensic Linguistics and Deputy Director of the Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics. My research interests include the language of investigative interviews, language and identity in online settings, disputed meaning in forensic contexts, and the language of gendered violence. 

• 2003: BA (Hons) English Language, Bangor University
• 2004: MA (Distinction) Forensic Linguistics, Cardiff University
• 2010: PhD Forensic Linguistics, Aston University
• 2018: GDipLaw, University of Law

I have taught on the following modules on the MA Forensic Linguistics:

LEM106 Language as Evidence

LEM109 Linguistics in Legal Contexts

LEM110 Practical Applications of Forensic Linguistics

LCM100 Forensic Linguistics: Theory & Practice

And the following Undergraduate modules in English:

LE3116 Language as Evidence

Current:

Karolina Placzynta: Hate speech in moderated social media contexts: patterns, parallels, and intersections

Noorin Iqbal. A linguistic analysis of religious hate speech by Indians against Islam and Muslims of India. 

Eden Palmer. A corpus-assisted discourse analysis of trans-critical language in an online family support community, 2010-2023.

Jenna Elliott. A corpus assisted critical discourse analysis of the manifestos of mass shooters in the U.S.A.

2025:

Julija Danu.  Stability of authorship markers across discourse types and links to personality traits.

2023:

Daniela Schneevogt. Username construction and identity performance in dark web child sexual abuse communications.

2025: MacLeod. Talking Rape: Operation Soteria and the Police Interview. Leverhulme Trust Fellowship, £46,256.

2025: MacLeod. Analysing and Describing Online Behaviour around Escalation (ADOBE). Leverhulme Trust Research Grant, £119,218.

2023: MacLeod (PI), and Love. Disproportionality in case files: Corpus linguistics. Crown Prosecution Service, £55,191.50

2023: ESRC IAA, Festival of Social Science. MacLeod, Writing Wrongs: Using Language Analysis to Improve Access to Justice,  £1,998.00. 

2022: MacLeod. The Discursive Effects of a ‘Pioneering Approach’: Police Interviews with Rape Victims post-Operation Bluestone. BA/Leverhulme Small Grants Scheme, £9,572.

2021: Oxburgh (PI), Walsh, Russel, Farrugia, and MacLeod. Supporting the interviewing and legal representation of crime victims and suspects using digital communication methods: Is it ‘remotely’ possible? ESRC under the UKRI Call: Ideas to Address COVID-19, £323,453.10 

2012: Haworth & MacLeod. Applying Linguistics to Police Interviewing. BAAL Applying Linguistics Fund, £4,400

I am available for consultancy and expert advice in the areas of authorship analysis, determining meaning, and forensic discourse analysis. I have provided expert reports to a number of UK Police forces, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, The Independent Police Complaints Commission, defence teams and private individuals in over 60 criminal and civil cases. I have appeared as an expert witness in the Crown Court of England & Wales, and both the Sherriff's Court and High Court of Justiciary in Scotland. 

Higher Education Academy (Fellow) (FHEA)

British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL)

International Association for Forensic and Legal Linguistics (IAFLL) : Executive Secretary 2021-2023; Vice President 2025-2027.