Having the right tools to conduct your investigations is important, but equally important; is following and implementing some accepted practices and methodologies to your research...

Hopefully this article will provide you with enough useful information to get you started and hopefully these tips will serve you well through your real world investigations. Most of what you do as a researcher/investigator comes down to having an open; but objective, if skeptical mind. Basic common sense, deductive reasoning; awareness of your surroundings and the process of elimination. In preparing this guide I tried to be as thorough as possible. If I’ve missed something or you would like to share something you think others may find useful, please feel free to leave your comments below. The more we learn the more grow.

Undoubtedly many paranormal researches regard the field as a genuine science, but there are others; in the scientific community who view it with unabashed skepticism. But there’s no questioning its controversy, but regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, when you decide to “ghost hunt” or do an investigation it should be approached with a scientific mindset and an open mind. Perception skewed to one side or the other; in our opinion, can taint your results and the process.

It’s okay to be skeptical, in fact being a skeptic, makes for a good investigator. However it’s also important to maintain some objectivity. When you experience something, feel something, see something, even a smell, look for a natural source. Use your logic and ability for deductive reasoning. When you have ruled out all logical explanations, it will only serve to help your research stand up to scrutiny. Remember to be thorough and consider every possibility.

Before we go through the proverbial laundry list, one rule that should never be negotiable is YOU NEVER GO ALONE. I shouldn’t have to state the obvious, but even if there is no such thing as ghosts, any number of things can go wrong. Accidents can happen; so you need someone you can trust to react rationally and quickly should you get hurt or lost and is able to contact the proper authorities. Preferably you should get a nice small group of 4-5 people to go along for the fun.

We hope the following tips will help you hit the ground running, as they say. We don’t presume to hold all that is right and sacred in the field of paranormal investigations. This did after all start off as a hobby for us, over a dozen years ago and there weren’t a lot of resources, in the beginning, for us to refer to. So this was definitely a learning process. In our experience, most investigators/researchers started off doing this out of curiosity; who then became avid hobbyists, whose passions and dedication have grown into something more. But there are some in the scientific community who have dedicated their lives and talents to the search for the supernatural.

That being said, it might not be a bad idea to tag along with an established group to get a “feel” for things before going off on your own. Definitely pick up a book or two; maybe even attend a couple of “Ghost Tours”. One notable ghost tour we think is worth the price of admission; is Ken Hudnall’s Concordia Ghost tour. Ken is the originator of the Concordia tours. His tours not only include a hearty meal at L&J’s and ghost stories, but an entertaining lesson in history. But if after reading this and researching a little bit; you feel you’re ready to go at it on your own, what we share here, at least in our opinion; is the right way to conduct your research and investigations.

I would also like to give you fair warning on what to possibly expect when going out on the field. There are 2 types of spirits you might encounter; human and non-human. A human spirit - obviously was a human in life and for some reason has remained here. It could be it doesn’t realize its dead, it may have unfinished business, or he/she could be held here by guilt. The reasons could be numerous and generally speaking; human spirits are much the way they were in life, so they could either be good or bad. Normally though; human spirits are not dangerous and they are the type of spirit, you are most likely to encounter 95% of the time.

The non-human spirit was never human to begin with and is more often than not, bad news.  Do not seek them out or obsess over them. The odds of coming across one in a ghost hunt are rare, but you should be aware that this type of spirit exists and be prepared to protect yourself. A little later on we’ll delve into more about the different types of spirits and different types of haunting.

First there should be a clear understanding of the difference between a “Ghost Hunt” and a “Ghost Investigation”. (There’ll be a glossary of terms added later)

Ghost Hunt – Typically a ghost hunt is the process of going out to a location, where there have been no known sightings or reports of paranormal activity and attempting to discover evidence of paranormal activity through photographic evidence, video/audio footage, EMF, temperature and personal experiences.

Ghost Investigation – An investigation is the process of going to a known haunted place or a place where there have been reports of paranormal activity; either by invitation or after seeking permission for the purpose of collecting data (video, audio and photographic evidence), taking notes, interviewing witnesses, recording EMF readings, Temperature readings and personal experiences.

As stated above NEVER GO ALONE. Taking along someone you trust or a group of people provides a sense of security. Plus should you have an experience that points towards the existence of something paranormal, you have potential witnesses or more people to follow you to the funny farm. Do not wear any perfume or cologne. Sometimes spirits will often use smells and scents to make their presence known. This eliminates confusion and tainted results.

It’s a good Idea to say a prayer of protection before and after your investigation or hunt begins.  Trust me, no matter what your spiritual or religious affiliation, it won’t hurt you and will only takes a few seconds. We’ve included a prayer here.

Check out your location in advance and get all the necessary permission needed before you show up. Make sure you are not trespassing; keeping within the law and practicing common courtesy can go a long way in building your credibility. Also make sure you have proper ID with you.

Check out your location in advance and get all the necessary permission needed before you show up. Make sure you are not trespassing; keeping within the law and practicing common courtesy can go a long way in building your credibility. Also make sure you have proper ID with you. Also be sure to take along some personal protection such as Pepper Spray or a Stun Gun. This will help protect you from the living, not the dead =) Always let someone know where you or your group will be.

It’s a good idea for all group members and owners to do a daytime walk through. This will help familiarize you with the area. Take the opportunity to take temperature readings, make note of EMF readings (for comparison later) and check for any dangerous areas or obstacles you want to avoid. Have a member from you team map and make note of air vents, heaters, electrical appliances; basically anything that could possibly affect temperature, EVP and EMF readings.

Have another member take test shots throughout you’re walk through. It’s also a good idea not to discuss the details of the case during the walk through. You want to approach each case with an open- unbiased frame of mind.

Research your location as much as you can, it will help in the long run if you know the site’s history. Use as many resources as possible, such as newspaper/magazine articles, historians, public records etc., I’ll break down procedures in another article. It’s also a good idea to get witness interviews by one or two investigators. Video tape the witnesses, if they allow it.
Don’t jump to any conclusions and don’t share any thoughts or conclusions with witnesses or the client until all the data has been collected and reviewed.

Click Here for Part 2

 Copyright 2008-2009. Allrights Reserved.  The El Paso Alternate Reality Project.

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