The Beginners guide to Paranormal Investigations

In no way is this guide a full or complete essay on how to go about doing Paranormal Research. Books have been written on the subject and even those usually do not cover all possible aspects. This guide should be considered a description to get you in the right mindset and help you take that first step into a young but growing field of research.

This section will be modified periodically with more relevant information.

The Big Decision


OK....you've seen Ghost Hunters on Sci-Fi and most other Paranormal TV shows on various networks.

You say things to yourself like "I can do that!", "I've got nerves of steel", and "Why are they running away? It's just a ghost!" (Not while watching Jason and Grant of course!)

Or you have had personal experiences throughout your life that you just can't seem to explain.

First thing's first. What you see on TV is a small piece of what goes into a paranormal investigation. Keep in mind that the network edits the show to fit into an hour and that needs to include commercials. Now we are not saying that TAPS or any other group on TV is not doing a full investigation, it's more that they simply cannot fit everything in the show or else you'll be sitting there watching anywhere from 3-8 hours of people sitting in the dark. Let's face it, that does not make good TV.

A true paranormal investigation takes preparation, hours of investigating, and then even more hours of analysis which could easily yield absolutely nothing. While investigating you must keep an open mind and try not to jump to any conclusions. When something occurs during an investigation, what caused it? You must first test and rule out as many "normal" possibilities first before something can be really labeled as "paranormal". Keeping an open mind and using logic to figure out what could be the cause of reported paranormal activity is the heart of doing paranormal research. With that in mind, about 80% of all reported activity is actually the result of a normal occurrence at the location under investigation.

When first starting out investigating, keep it simple. Do your homework by reading up on the subject as much as possible. How can you know what to expect or how to handle something if you have no idea what's going on? You cannot pick up a guitar and expect to play even the simplest tune unless you know something about how to play!

For a great book on starting your adventure as a paranormal investigator, check out:


What to Expect


There is no good way to answer this one since the possibilities range from "nothing at all", to "a chair moved across the floor by itself", to "a negative spirit named Frank came right up to my face and told me to get out!". Doing the background research before you go out will greatly help you prepare and at least give you an idea on what to expect and how to deal with it.

So You're ready to head out


Here's a list of basic items that will help you get started:
-A camera , either film or digital
-Extra batteries
-Extra film (if camera is not digital)
-Flashlight - with red filter if available. (Helps with preserving your night vision)
-A hand held recorder for making notes and to collect possible EVPs.
-Notebook and writing utensil for notes (if you go old school!)
-A first aid kit
-Cell phone - can possibly interfere with some types of audio recorders so have it turned off until you need it.
-A watch so you can note the time for your notes or audio recording.

More Advanced Items:
(Please refer to our equipment page for more details)
-Video Camera and tripod if available
-Hand held Thermometer
-EMF meter

Equipment Tips


-If you use a film camera, start with a new roll of film.
-When taking pictures in a dark area say the word "flash" to let the other people with you know to close their eyes or to look away so that they don't ruin their night vision.
-With your audio recorder, make sure to note the location, date, and time when you start the recorder so you have some frame of reference when and if you later find an interesting piece of audio.

Investigation Tips


-Keep an open mind. Keeping an open/neutral mind usually yield far better results than if you were thinking "nothing is gonna happen here!" or "This place is gonna be crazy!!"
-Try not to whisper, it makes audio analysis later on that much more difficult.
-If you are planning to visit a new location, stop by during the day to scope it out. That way you have an idea of the landscape if it's an outdoor location. If it's indoors, you can get an idea of the floorplan.
-Try not to wear perfume, cologne or anything else with a strong scent.
-DO NOT TRESPASS!!! ALWAYS obtain permission to enter a location. If it's an outdoor location (i.e. cemetery, park, etc) make sure you follow any and all posted rules on the hours of public access. If possible, contact the owner of the property and see if you can get permission to be on the property. If the owners say no, then honor that decision and do not try to investigate regardless. They say no, it's done, move on.
-Even if you have permission, or there are no posted hours and/or trespassing signs, if the police show up and ask you to leave......you say "thank you officer" and you leave. If you have permission, try calling to police before you go so that they know you will be there and have permission. Saves a lot of time and headache later on.
-Have some form of ID on you at all times.
-Do not smoke while anyone is taking pictures. Use common sense here.....
-If it's snowing, raining, foggy, etc and the location is outdoors, either delay the investigation or expect your pictures to be almost worthless.
-Never investigate alone. There are two good reasons for this. First, if you get hurt or need help there is no one there to help. Second, if you happen to witness something, having a second person there to confirm your story adds a lot of credibility to the story. If someone tells you that Frank the ghost walked up to them and gave them a wave, it's just an unconfirmed story without hard evidence or a second person to back it up.
-No drugs or drinking before or during an investigation....period
-Show respect to all locations you are investigating. All locations should be left in the same condition as you found them.
-Make sure someone knows where you be investigating just in case!

Never take anything for granted. Question everything, search for your own answers, and draw your own conclusions!


I survived the night, now what?


So you finished your investigation. Now for the part some people love and some hate. DATA ANALYSIS!!!

Reviewing all the data collected takes time, patience, and determination. You need to look carefully at all pictures, listen intently to all audio, and view/listen to every second of video. If the investigation went on for 3 hours and you had audio and video going the entire time, that gives you at least 6 hours of review for just audio and video. That also does not account for the time needed to review interesting pieces of audio and/or video when you come across them.

We can assure you, the hours of tedious work do pay off when you get that one piece of evidence that you just can't explain.

How you review your evidence is a personal choice but there are some things that you can do to keep things organized and accurate.
-When you come across something interesting, you should note the time so that you can compare it to video, audio, or pictures taken in the same area. Having a video, audio, and picture of an event is far more credible than just having a picture alone.
-Even thought it may be tedious, do not let your attention wander. It's the split second that you look away that the ghost will flash you a smile. Things tend to happen quickly in this field. A flash of light, a wisp that becomes visible, an object is moved. Letting your attention wander is the quickest way to miss that one piece of evidence you are looking for.
-Other useful information can be found at the following links:
EVPs
Photography
Videos