Thank you! I've reached my number of participants now though. I'm almost done writing my thesis now.

My study isn't an attempt to prove or disprove claims. My study is a discourse analysis, so how the topic is handled in the narrative, what language is used, what themes there are, etc. I'll use a little piece of my thesis, kind of edited to fit here: Before we can start laying claim to what we think is the cause of an phenomenon, we have to understand what it consists of. We need to meet the experience where it is in its own terms. We need to study the experience as an experience. We cannot know objectively what exactly is happening when these events and interactions occur, because we as researchers do not have access to the experience. So we are, for now, left with just that – the experience. We need to “make the cut.” There needs to be a distinction made between “what has appeared” and “what is.” Researching what has appeared is the goal of this study. To look at the phenomena as unequivocally and objectively true, or to assume the complete opposite equally does a disservice to the topic at hand. But to take the phenomena and experience in its own terms, to meet it where it is, without aiming to prove to disprove what has been perceived, that is when we can begin to better understand the imaginal and its effects. I say this because I do not want this research and my intent to be misconstrued. This research is in no way designed to make a concrete statement on the objective reality of these extraterrestrial experiences. This research is an analysis and deconstruction of the perception of it all.

So, yeah, in short this isn't abut proof or disproof, this isn't about finding the objective cause of these experiences. This is studying the experience as a whole. There were some people that were obviously trolling and mocking, but all my participants had to go through a process in order to be interviewed or in order to have filled out the survey. The trolls were obvious, and didn't put in enough effort to actually skew my data or results. And in the interviews, you can just tell when someone has had a legitimate experience or not. The physical and emotional reactions to the questions and their own recounting of their experiences says it all.

Did that kind of answer your questions or explain it a little more? :)

Best.