Paranormal investigating 101

March 14, 2007 | Comment icon

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Investigating paranormal phenomena can be a very intimidating task for today’s new ghostly investigators. I myself always suggest that before going out on your own, that you find a paranormal group in your area and see if they will educate you and start you down the proverbial paranormal yellow brick road. Now before you say "I can’t find a group", I do realize that you can’t always find an experienced investigator to work with. For those of you in this situation, I am outlining a basic how to guide for performing a simple investigation. Now before reading this, I want to stress to everyone that there is no tried and true proven way to investigate paranormal phenomena. Read through this simple guide and modify it to suit your own personal needs.

1. Interview the parties involved:

Basically, contact the people living in the haunted area and arrange an interview.
During this interview, record information about the paranormal phenomena being experienced. An investigator can also use this time to get basic info as to previous tenants and a family history. Family history can be used to determine if other family members have ever experienced paranormal activity. This is also a good time to use your people interviewing skills to determine if in you opinion that a person could be lying or just exaggerating to get attention to them or their location. Also make sure to ask if the person or persons experiencing the phenomena have any mental or drug related problems that may cause them to see or imagine things that really aren't there. Just remember to ask these questions in a professional and non judge mental way.

2. Independent Research Time:

Research the history of the haunted location. You may do so by going to a library or a local courthouse. Once that is done, talk to individuals who may have information about the location. This could be past tenants, local residents or local historians. You will soon find that if the location has a truly haunted history, someone will have information about it.

3. Investigating the haunted location:

Perform the actual investigation on the location.
(A.) Make sure to set aside enough time to do a proper investigation. The general set standard is up to one hour per room. My suggestion is to stay in a room as long as you feel its needed. When you feel that you have done the room justice, move on.
(B.) Tour the area that you will be investigating. Use this time to determine if non paranormal items may be masquerading as ghostly phenomenon. Examples could be squeaky old doors, drafty ceiling spaces or just the fact that it could be an old home that snaps and pops as the temperature changes. Also use this time to find out if there are any areas that could be hazardous to the health and well being of those investigating the area.
(C.) Setup the equipment. Test your equipment to make sure that everything is functioning correctly. Please remember that faulty equipment can cause false evidence or keep you from getting that one piece of evidence that could actually prove without the shadow of a doubt that there is really something out there. Here are few helpful hints from me that I hope will help you during this phase of the investigation. Make sure to use an external microphone when using an analog recorder. The reason for this is so you don't pick up any machine related motor noise from the recorder while trying to capture an EVP. During the EVP session, make sure that you always use new tapes so as to not fall victim to archival noise. I also would suggest that you always make sure that the lens cap is off the camera before you start filming.
(D.) During the investigation, make sure that you document not only the recording of your equipment, but also the observations and feelings of you and those assisting you. Sometimes you will find that the perceptions and feelings of others are just as good if not better than any piece of equipment.
(E.) Once done, go back through your notes and equipment readings so as to check for any paranormal phenomena. Take your time when doing this. Also remember to compare your findings with eyewitness accounts so as to see if there is any similarity. If something paranormal is found, have other group members examine it, and then as a group discuss the findings and make a conclusion. Always remember to take into consideration the impressions and views of others, because input from others can help greatly in determining the validity of supposed phenomenon.
(F.) Decide if the area needs another visit. If so, on the return, go through the steps listed above once more. The Main thing to remember is to take your time and do just as good an investigation during the second walk through as you did during the first.
(G.) Make sure to follow up on all of your collected data. Take all the information that you have gathered, and see if in some form or fashion that it relates. Also determine if you have found similarities with other eyewitness accounts that might help in answering if the location is really haunted. If you feel more research on the location is needed, do it.

4. Wrap up, pack up, and conclude the investigation:

This is when your investigation sadly comes to an end.
(A.) First off, make the decision that yes this is a legitimate paranormal occurrence, or that this is a hoax or other non paranormal occurrence. During this phase of the investigation, make sure you fully write down and make precise notes of your findings and exactly why you have made the conclusion that you have.
(B.) Secondly make sure to file all the information for future reference. Properly name and date the case. Also make sure that the data is saved in both a paper and CD related format. One point that I must also stress is that if the client wants to keep his or her info private, it is your responsibility to keep their file Private.
(C.) Lastly, you get the wonderful task of informing the people involved with your findings. At this final point in the investigation, make sure that you explain in a simple and understandable way your findings. Make sure you tell them how you came to your conclusion and why.

So there you have it folks.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or the kid on the block with the best high tech ghost hunting gear.

The main things that you have to remember are keep an open mind and never ever say that any place is haunted until after you have proven without a shadow of a doubt that it isn’t.

Good Hunting…

Initial Concept for Article taken from
Richard Southall (2004). How to be a Ghosthunter. St.Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications.
p. 27. 40

How to be a Ghosthunter is a really good book.
Make sure that you check it out.

Scottie Stamper
http://www.ghostvilletimes.com/
http://www.shadowtalkparanormalradio.com/ Comments (0)

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