Tony Hancock or Hannibal Lecter: which metrics to use for volumes of blood in documents for the general public; a semi-serious quantitative and qualitative approach
Image 1: Hannibal
CONCLUSIONS When writing documents for a general audience (the man in the coffee shop, the nonbinary person on a train, the woman in the street) referring to volumes of blood:
1. use millilitres in preference to spoons (tea or table)
2. use the abbreviation ml in preference to mL
3. someone will always (ALWAYS) suggest the use of ‘arm’
Often, in documents such as patient information sheets, there will be references to blood tests where various volumes of blood may be taken. Clearly the aim is to INFORM the reader of the volume which will be taken. You want them to understand how much blood (the metric) is involved. There is a clear ethical drive for this, and it will also (hopefully) reassure the reader.
The volume of blood will be decided by the needs of the trial.
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
HOW this volume is COMMUNICATED is decided by how the document is written.
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
It is important that the volume is given in a way which is clear and unambiguous: it is X quantity. This metric should not be open to interpretation.
You want your reader to feel happy about the volume of blood, to be reassured.
There is also the manner of the connotations of the metrics used. When you read a word, it will conjure various associations in the mind.
In the context of a clinical trial, you want the reader to genuinely understand what the volume means, so that true informed consent is given.
With this is mind, note that currently the metrics most often used (personal experience) for blood test volumes are millilitres or spoons (teaspoons or tablespoons).
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
Image 2: see below somewhere spoons and mls, (author’s own, I have many spoons)
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
Millilitres are clinical, they sound scientific. This has positives (it sounds professional), but also negatives (lacking the ‘human warmth’). There may be concern that there is a lack of true familiarity. Though people are very much aware of 5ml as a concept, their actual approximation of what this volume IS may not be accurate. Weighing against this is the ubiquity of the internet; if anyone is puzzled, they can ‘Google it’. The millilitre is an internationally recognised unit of measurement. I would also note that every parent/carer of a small human has several of these which they are incapable of throwing away:
Image 3: again, tumblr images, they come free with cough syrup, we keep them, no idea why (author’s)
Spoons are perhaps seen as hugely familiar and ‘comforting’. Most people will have spoons in their home. This domestic ‘vibe’ (as the scientific one above) has both positive and negative connotations. Positive are the familiarity, the domestic and the safe. Negative is the association with cooking, the Hannibal Lecter problem. As someone said, “What are they making with the blood? Cookies?”. In this way, spoons full of blood can become a disconcerting image, there is a very real ‘ick factor’. The Hannibal Lecter factor?
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
Another problem with spoons is that the quantity has regional variation, UK spoons and US spoons are not equivalent. 5 tablespoons of blood in the UK is 6 tablespoons in the USA. Spoons are also a less exact measurements than millilitres, people may have their own spoons they use for baking. In my cutlery drawer I have a ridiculous number of teaspoons, their volumes are not consistent.
Therefore, with spoons people may be confident but inaccurate with their understanding of the volume.
The abbreviation used for the two measurements may also cause confusion:
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
Tbsp may be confused with tsp (teaspoon) and the capitalisation seems open to debate. With millilitres the convention is apparent mL, but the preferred abbreviation is ml, with a lowercase l. There is potential for confusion with 1 or uppercase I in various fonts and typefaces. People will argue this point, and indeed they do. The majority of people polled prefer ml, and I do (and this is my essay):
Image 4: Poll is ongoing but look, image at the bottom I guess - tumblr’s fun like this
Back to spoons or millilitres: I conducted three polls on different social media platforms: Facebook, BabyCentre and Twitter. The overall response n=519. The same question (give or take) was asked in each poll:
Image 5: All the polls! Yes, the people of Twitter can be silly people-images of the three (yes 3) polls
Hopefully these polls make the ml preference clear, though do note the slightly different wording of each question (damn).
Overall preference for mls was 73%, and for spoons 22% - more than three times as many people prefer mls.
CONCLUSIONS When writing documents for a general audience (the man in the coffee shop, the nonbinary person in the street, the woman on a train) referring to volumes of blood:
1. use millilitres in preference to spoons (tea or table)
2. use the abbreviation ml in preference to mL
3. someone will always (ALWAYS) suggest the use of ‘arm’
I realise this essay is a little off topic for me, here on Tumblr where it’s all about Murderbot: but this is a subject very close to my heart.
To tie things together: blood gets mentioned A LOT in the Murderbot Diaries but there are no spoons in the future…or at least none that Murderbot sees fit to mention.
Tony Hancock or Hannibal Lecter: which metrics to use for volumes of blood in documents for the general public; a semi-serious quantitative and qualitative approach
Image 1: Hannibal
CONCLUSIONS When writing documents for a general audience (the man in the coffee shop, the nonbinary person on a train, the woman in the street) referring to volumes of blood:
1. use millilitres in preference to spoons (tea or table)
2. use the abbreviation ml in preference to mL
3. someone will always (ALWAYS) suggest the use of ‘arm’
Often, in documents such as patient information sheets, there will be references to blood tests where various volumes of blood may be taken. Clearly the aim is to INFORM the reader of the volume which will be taken. You want them to understand how much blood (the metric) is involved. There is a clear ethical drive for this, and it will also (hopefully) reassure the reader.
The volume of blood will be decided by the needs of the trial.
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
HOW this volume is COMMUNICATED is decided by how the document is written.
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
It is important that the volume is given in a way which is clear and unambiguous: it is X quantity. This metric should not be open to interpretation.
You want your reader to feel happy about the volume of blood, to be reassured.
There is also the manner of the connotations of the metrics used. When you read a word, it will conjure various associations in the mind.
In the context of a clinical trial, you want the reader to genuinely understand what the volume means, so that true informed consent is given.
With this is mind, note that currently the metrics most often used (personal experience) for blood test volumes are millilitres or spoons (teaspoons or tablespoons).
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
Image 2: see below somewhere spoons and mls, (author’s own, I have many spoons)
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
Millilitres are clinical, they sound scientific. This has positives (it sounds professional), but also negatives (lacking the ‘human warmth’). There may be concern that there is a lack of true familiarity. Though people are very much aware of 5ml as a concept, their actual approximation of what this volume IS may not be accurate. Weighing against this is the ubiquity of the internet; if anyone is puzzled, they can ‘Google it’. The millilitre is an internationally recognised unit of measurement. I would also note that every parent/carer of a small human has several of these which they are incapable of throwing away:
Image 3: again, tumblr images, they come free with cough syrup, we keep them, no idea why (author’s)
Spoons are perhaps seen as hugely familiar and ‘comforting’. Most people will have spoons in their home. This domestic ‘vibe’ (as the scientific one above) has both positive and negative connotations. Positive are the familiarity, the domestic and the safe. Negative is the association with cooking, the Hannibal Lecter problem. As someone said, “What are they making with the blood? Cookies?”. In this way, spoons full of blood can become a disconcerting image, there is a very real ‘ick factor’. The Hannibal Lecter factor?
In this essay I will demonstrate that a general audience prefers millilitres, and in addition we apparently prefer the abbreviation ml (this was an unexpected finding).
Based on results of polls (n=519)
Another problem with spoons is that the quantity has regional variation, UK spoons and US spoons are not equivalent. 5 tablespoons of blood in the UK is 6 tablespoons in the USA. Spoons are also a less exact measurements than millilitres, people may have their own spoons they use for baking. In my cutlery drawer I have a ridiculous number of teaspoons, their volumes are not consistent.
Therefore, with spoons people may be confident but inaccurate with their understanding of the volume.
The abbreviation used for the two measurements may also cause confusion:
SPOILER: use millilitres and abbreviate to “ml”
Tbsp may be confused with tsp (teaspoon) and the capitalisation seems open to debate. With millilitres the convention is apparent mL, but the preferred abbreviation is ml, with a lowercase l. There is potential for confusion with 1 or uppercase I in various fonts and typefaces. People will argue this point, and indeed they do. The majority of people polled prefer ml, and I do (and this is my essay):
Image 4: Poll is ongoing but look, image at the bottom I guess - tumblr’s fun like this
Back to spoons or millilitres: I conducted three polls on different social media platforms: Facebook, BabyCentre and Twitter. The overall response n=519. The same question (give or take) was asked in each poll:
Image 5: All the polls! Yes, the people of Twitter can be silly people-images of the three (yes 3) polls
Hopefully these polls make the ml preference clear, though do note the slightly different wording of each question (damn).
Overall preference for mls was 73%, and for spoons 22% - more than three times as many people prefer mls.
CONCLUSIONS When writing documents for a general audience (the man in the coffee shop, the nonbinary person in the street, the woman on a train) referring to volumes of blood:
1. use millilitres in preference to spoons (tea or table)
2. use the abbreviation ml in preference to mL
3. someone will always (ALWAYS) suggest the use of ‘arm’
[Image ID: A digital drawing of a table spread, a meal in various bowls and pots. The whole drawing is cast in soft, warm candle light. There is a steaming iron pot of root vegetable stew, a bowl of cut up tubers, sliced venison still bleeding onto the beige tablecloth, wild rice, a jar of pickled plums with its cork besides it, a small bowl of some kind of orange condiment, and a sliced squash. Beneath everything is a beige tablecloth with fringe on the sides. Set on either sides of the table are steaming cups of tea, and pale wooden dishes with small pieces of food already inside, such as a single blue-green radish, a carrot slice and some rice. There is a knife balances on the frontmost plate and a fork beside it, as well as a folded napkin. There are other wooden spoons in and around the various pots. Two tall thin beeswax candles sit on the windowsill above table, reflected in the window in front of a dark night sky. A dark-skinned red hand, dressed in sage green and rust coloured robes, reaches in from the right side of the drawing to take the lid off a blue patterned, steaming bowl of porridge with red jam on top. End ID.]
Here it is the third and final part of spoons and the last set of 2021!This past month I have been focusing on creating items that work perfectly in a restaurant setting. Of course I know not everyone wants to build restaurants, so the large majority of the items included would also work perfectly in other community lots or your Sims’ homes too.
Set includes:
Sectional Sofa (30 swatches in woven & leather textures)
I can confirm that the booths do require Dine Out to be fully functional, but they will place down in your game and snap to tables if you only have base game. Unfortunately the interactions and animations are all tide to the GP, so they will be purely decorative if you don’t have Dine Out installed.
[Image 1 Description: A Crowd of people, all colored blue, with the label “Interneters” on them. To the left of the crowd a young man stands out. He is a repeat character. We’ll call him “The Interneter.” He has dark brown skin, short light blue dread-locks. He wears a burgundy colored hoodie, a dark teal V-neck shirt, and dark bluish-grey jeans. The Interneter says “You never told us what a "Spoonie” is.“
To the middle right is Rachel, we can only see to the bottom of her shirt for now. (She has pale white skin, short and messy blonde hair, teal shirt with ferns printed on each side, Maroon shorts, light cyan thigh-high stocking with cut outs of leaves on them, maroon shoes). Rachel, smiling wearily, looking right at us, holding her index finger up:”Well, you could just google it. But hey, what the heck? Why pass up an opportunity to be the first person who tells you what it means?“
We see Rachel again on the lower left side, smiling while raising an eyebrow, holding her left hand to her face, and her right hand out towards us: "Ya ready?”
The crowd lines the bottom of the image. The Interneter stands in the middle, with a speech bubble above “Yes.”and a speech bubble to his bottom right, “That’s why we asked.”]
[Image 2 Description: There is a lavender square at the top of this image, on it is the text: “Spoonie” comes from a disability metaphor first described in a 2003 essay by christine miserandino called “The Spoon Theory” in which she tells the story of trying to explain to a friend what it feels like to have lupus, using spoons as visual representation of her daily energy. She actually handed her friend a bouquet of spoons and said: “
Below Christine, a white woman with long brunette hair, a white headband, purple dress shirt and jeans, holds out a sparkling bouquet of spoons saying "Here you go”.
Below this we see her down on one knee. To her right her friend, female, brown skin, long braided dark brunette hair with a reddish tint, blue over-all dress, and teal leggings, sits on a stool holding the spoons Christine handed her.
“You have Lupus.” Christine says, to which her friend nervously responds “Haha, whaaat?…… Please explain.”]
[Image 3 Description:Another lander square fills the top of this image, on it is a quote from Christine's Essay, “Most people start the day with unlimited amounts of possibilities- energy to do whatever they desire…for the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions…I wanted something for her to actually hold, for me to then take away. If I was in control of taking away the spoons, then she would know what it feels like to have something else being in control.”
Below Christine sits alone, her legs “criss-cross”. She is smiling at us and holds a giant spoon. Around her are little blurbs in purple text, “Might actually own a giant spoon” “Has done awesome advocacy work” “Read more at butyoudontlooksick.com (if you want to)”]
[Image 4 Description: a chart titled “How Spoon Theory Works”. A single spoon equals a unit of energy that a person can use safely. On the left is “spoon cost per activities” on the right is icons to show the activities.
1 spoon; Getting out of bed, taking medications, changing clothes. 2 spoons; Watching a tv show, a microwavable meal, using the internet.3 spoons; Enagaing in a small activity like art, cleaning something, making a meal that required stove or oven.4 spoons; Taking a shower, leaving your home, socializing.
Narration text: Why use it? I’ll let this quote by a doctor who was originally using buckets of water (???) with patients explain. “Using analogies and/or metaphors…can help clinicians and patients’ loved ones get a better understanding of the impact of specific activities on a patient.” (John Hopkins Neurologist Scott Newsome, DO, on the topic of “Spoon Theory”)]
[Image 5 Description: The Interneter is looking worried, sweating. He says to Rachel,
“Oh wait, so I have major depression disorder, insomnia, and ADHD. During my last episode, I was barely able to make it to one class a day, and maybe get one meal. My insomnia felt uncontrollable. I ran out of mental brain power for my classes, but I still attempted as much class work as I could, even if my brain couldn’t fully show up. Don’t get me wrong- I still tried, so hard. Even if I was too depressed to feel things like ‘normal’ I still wanted to be embracing my college life. I feel like spoon theory would have really helped me in times like those. Especially since I haven’t found an antidepressant that works on me yet. I know it’s not like what you go through, like chronic physical illness. I wouldn’t want to make less of your experience or appropriate this term. I’m just wondering if-”
Rachel, looking calm, finding The Interneter endearing and smiling slightly, “Your experiences are just as valid and the level of impact your depression has absolutely qualifies you as a spoonie.”]
[Image 6 Description: Narration text “Today a spoonie is someone with a condition that causes limited amounts of physical and/or cognitive energy, such as chronic illness, mental illness, or disability. It’s also used by neurodivergents who deal with persistent energy limitations.”
Below sits 4 girls all smiling, waving, and looking at us, left to right; The first girl has an average frame, tan skin, long navy blue hair, a maroon hat, faded pink pants, a blue/purple/lavender striped shirt, and cutting scar on her arms. Second girl is Kitt, she was in another comic, she has a plus sized frame, dark brown skin, shoulder length curly/dark brown hair. she wears a teal dress with white strips, a waist long blue jacket, blue shoes, her left left is a purple prosthetic. Third girl, she is Asian, very light but still tan skin, with black hair in cut in a pixie style. She has on a white sweat shirt that has lavender sleeves and a salmon color at the bottom, in the center is the rainbow infinity sign for neurodivergence. She has on mint pants and wear white and salmon colored sneakers. On the floor below them sits Rachel.
Narrative text "Not all of us are literally measuring out energy in terms of spoons, but having such a metaphor is extremely helpful.“]
[Image 7 Description: Narrative text "Spoon Theory embraces acknowledgment of a condition’s control, which is weirdly liberating because this reminds a person:”
Girl number 3 is on the right is whispering to The Interneter “Lack of control isn’t proof of personal weakness. You don’t have to beat yourself up for experiencing your condition.”
“I know that…” the interneter says shyly, blushing and smiling.
“Do you though?” Rachel says from the left.
Below her is girl number one. “Do u? I’ve been doing this for 13 years and even I forget sometimes.”]
[Image 8 Description: Narrative text “For young people in particular, spoonie is the first word a person may use when starting to rewrite what their life with their condition could look like.”
The Interneter lays flat on his bed, we see him from the side looking hopeful “Having to live life this way isn’t easy, but I want to make it work.”
Below we see he is centered on his bed holding 1 spoon, “especially since I’m still having that episode of depression.” On the right side his words continue “I didn’t say anything because I was afraid of messing up the flow of the comic.”]
[Image 9 Description: Narrative text “Spoons can be a silly thing to associate with possibly not having enough energy to manage basic survival activities, which is one reason some don’t bother using the term at all. Still, it’s easier to say,”
A woman, standing in the center of the image with a long purple dress, short brunette hair, and a purple walking cane, holds a hand to her chest smiling “I’m a spoonie!”
To her left is a large man all in red, hand on his hips smiling, “My own experiences of feeling tired helps me empathize with you. You make me feel validated.”
To her right is a little girl colored pink “Spoons are good!”
Next to her is a woman in maroon “Such a cute and positive take!”
At the bottom of the image narrative text says “Rather than bring folk’s moods down with-”]
[Image 10 description: “My body is disabled! Living an existence with a condition that is unpredictable and invisible sometimes breaks my brain! Please don’t shut me out until I’m "Fixed”. Just respect my limits.“ Rachel says, now in the center of the people instead of the purple-dressed spoonie. She sits in her wheelchair with legs up, holding her arms out, her expression is crying yet smiling.
The large man to her left has his arms folded, now very uneasy "How do I tell apart your "disability” from excuses, self pity, and faking stuff? And who sits in a wheelchair like that?“
On the right the little pink girl is crying, her maroon mother bending down to hold her. "Isn’t "Disabled” bad?“ the girl ask.
Her mother responding ”Nothing we need to worry about, sweetie. There are plenty of programs that think of the disabled so we don’t have to.“
Narrative text, ”Yes. Spoonie can at times feel detached just enough from harsh reality to ease people’s discomforts.“]
[Image 11 Description: Narrative text:” Perhaps detached enough for misguided normies to think,”
A young woman standing in the center with one hand on her hip and one raised with her index finger pointed upwards says "Hey! I feel like I have limited energy to! I like this "spoons” idea. It will help me be mindful and proactive with my energy! I’m a spoonie now!“
She is white woman with tanned skin, long bleach blonde hair in a pony-tail, wearing grey yoga pants and a green tang top. On her tang top are the words "Has no condition is just human”.
To her left Girl number 3, Kitt, and Rachel are huddled looking at the woman.“Don’t-”says girl number 3. “Oh no, wait-” says Kitt. “You’re not one now, but hey, you’ll be one of us eventually. No need to rush.” says Rachel.
On the left is a young hipster male all in orange “You’re just a product of obsessive online health trends.” He calls out.
Narrative text “Let’s hope it doesn’t turn into the 'snuggie’ of disability lingo.]
[Image 12 description: Narrative Text: ”Now, being disabled by a condition, especially it’s fatigue aspect, doesn’t mix well with the 'hyper-productive’ narrative that today’s society puts out.“
A Pinkish-maroon leg with the words 'society that doesn’t fully realize the systemic harm of it’s ableism’ on it, kicks a stick figure of the Interneter high up into the air in a Team Rocket fashion.
”Looks like having problems with my human body is causing me to be considered less of a human agaaiinn!!!“ The interneter says, surrounded by anime sparkles.
Narrative Text ”Still, being active, productive, and accepted by some form of community, lay the foundations for self-confidence and a sense of worth. Contributing online is one way even the most debilitated amount us have managed a version of that foundation.“]
[Image 13 Description: Narrative text: ”Disabled communities are sources of support, love, guidance, and empowerment built upon collaboration, inclusion, and knowledge. They help bring together people with a willingness to listen, because they all know the value in feeling heard.“
Two horizontal rows of a diverse group of people with disabilities, drawn to show them all in bed, all interacting with each other like the would if the were together in person. Below each person is an awareness ribbon to indicate the condition(s)they have.
From left to right, top row; A young woman with very dark brown skin, black hair in a bun, is looking concerned and reaching for a young man in the row below her. He is black with slightly lighter skin, very short hair, a 5 o'clock shadow, wearing glasses. He is reach towards her with is left arm, his right arm is curled due to his medical condition. Next in the top row, a Young woman with curly brown hair, tan skin, glasses, and cutting parts on her arms is smiling and being handed a book by a young white male with Downs-Syndrome, he hair short light brown hair and glasses. A young woman with tan skin, glasses, wearing a hijab, has a pink prosthetic arm holding a piece of paper, and is using her other arm to hold hands with the person she is smiling/talking with- a thin non-binary with short blue pixie hair and braces on her elbows and right arm. This person is also holding a piece of paper, eyes shut from laughing, with happy tears coming from their eyes.
Bottom row; Next to the young man with dark skin, is a plus-sized woman with white skin, her hair is deep violet in a pixie cut. She is holding a yellow ribbon, looking concerned and speaking a ”?“ as she taps the should of the girl next to her. This girl is Asian with black hair in a short ponytail, she looks back at the woman with the ribbon, her arms are on the back of the next woman, whom she is comforting. This woman has medium dark skin, half her head is shaved, the other is short navy blue dreadlocks. She is curled up and crying, below her is a yellow ribbon next to a purple one. The young man on her left has his left arm around her, and has a sympathetic expression, talking with the woman to try and provide comforting. He has tan skin and short curly brown hair, with short curly brown facial hair.
Narrative text: ”Spoonies are just one part of this collective, their efforts displaying that a condition’s control isn’t proof of weakness, as if can exist even along side massive amounts of inner strength.“]
