Exploring the Language of Title IX: A Corpus Linguistics Analysis

This study used corpus linguistics to explore how Title IX is represented in natural language by analyzing a custom-built subcorpus of Title IX-related texts and comparing them to a general reference corpus (enTenTen21). This study focused on (a) identifying keywords more frequent in Title IX discourse, (b) identifying multiword expressions distinctive to Title IX, and (c) examining collocates surrounding the term “Title IX.” Results revealed that the most distinctive single words were “ix,” “misconduct,” and “harassment,” while common multiword phrases included “title ix coordinator” and “sexual misconduct,” reflecting the legalistic and disciplinary framing of Title IX. Collocation analysis further showed that Title IX is frequently situated alongside other regulatory terms such as “VAWA,” “FERPA,” “Clery,” and “nondiscrimination,” suggesting its central role within a broader network of institutional compliance and campus safety mandates. These findings provide new insight into how Title IX is positioned linguistically in higher education discourse and offer practical implications for counselors and student affairs professionals navigating its evolving implementation.