Conducting Paranormal Investigations

This is a concise summary of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR)'s notes for investigators, covering procedures, interviews, records, follow-ups, and essential equipment.

1. Study Relevant Literature

• Review existing research and guidance on spontaneous cases.

• Suggested resources: Guidance Notes for Investigators of Spontaneous Cases, Investigation Quick Guides.

2. Essential Procedures

• Procedures vary by case type:

  • Crisis apparitions → confirm death via public records or notices.

  • Significant dreams → verify reliability of dream and confirming event.

  • Poltergeist/haunting → monitor relevant areas.

• Routine steps for all potential paranormal cases:

3. Interview Witnesses (Pre-investigation)

• Obtain detailed, accurate accounts from witnesses.

• Conduct in-depth interviews with involved parties and other relevant witnesses.

• Collect key information:

  • Time, date, and duration of events

  • Witness activity and state of mind

  • Previous similar experiences

  • Environmental conditions (lighting, sounds)

  • Presence/location of other people

  • Impressions of witness reliability, education, and well-being

4. Keep Detailed Records

• Record witness details: name, age, contact info.

• Make statements from notes or audio transcripts; have witnesses review and sign.

• Assure anonymity if published; use pseudonyms if needed.

• Document scene: photos, video, sketches, measurements.

5. Follow-Up Visits

• Necessary because:

  • Events may be infrequent.

  • Single visits may be misleading; further visits may clarify significance.

6. Equipment

• Essentials: notebook, pen/pencil, wristwatch, audio/video recording tools.

• Optional but useful: EMF meters, thermometers, motion detectors, smartphone.

• Refer to Equipment Use, Guidance Notes for Investigators for detailed guidance.

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Conducting Paranormal Investigations

Conducting a field investigation is where planning, discipline, and methodology are tested in real conditions. The purpose is not to prove the paranormal, but to examine reported experiences with rigor, neutrality, and care.

A well-run investigation protects people, preserves data integrity, maintains credibility, and increases the likelihood of determining the true nature of events — whether normal or anomalous.

1. Approach & Investigator Readiness

Neutral Mindset & Emotional State

Investigators must arrive with a neutral, grounded state of mind. Avoid participating if:

• Emotionally unstable or distressed

• Physically unwell or exhausted

• Under medication or influence of substances that dull senses

• Highly fearful or overly eager to “experience something paranormal”

Such states distort perception and increase false positives.

Aim: observe, not perform; verify, not assume.

Take a brief centering moment before entry — a quiet reset. Some teams use protective visualization; others simply reaffirm objectivity and respect for the case.

2. Team Structure & Safety

Never Investigate Alone

Solo investigations increase risk of:

• Misinterpretation (no corroboration)

• Physical danger in unfamiliar environments

• Psychological stress and suggestibility

A team environment supports confirmation, safety, and professionalism.

Task Assignment

Assign clear roles before entering:

• Lead investigator / case manager

• Interviewer / witness liaison

• Equipment manager / tech operator

• Record keeper / time keeper

• Control officer / safety monitor

• Psychic / sensitive (if included) — separate from info and never leading conclusions

Too many investigators = noise, interference, and biased psychology.
Too few = safety and oversight risks.

Ideal: small teams deployed strategically, with rotation to compare results.

3. Site Access, Timing & Visit Plan

Investigations should match reported conditions:

• If an apparition appears at 7PM during evening news → arrive before 7PM

• If events occur at dawn → investigate early morning

Investigate in context, not convenience.

Large properties: request multiple shorter visits, examining sections in sequence rather than overwhelming the space.

Have escape routes identified, emergency contact ability, and a control point where status is monitored.

4. Client Contact & Professional Conduct

• Greet client respectfully; establish calm authority

• Never dramatize events or frighten the client

• Maintain confidentiality — obtain signed release forms

• Reassure client of privacy and respectful handling of information

• Pets, children, and electronics must be controlled to reduce interference

If affected emotionally or physically during the investigation, step out calmly — never panic or announce dramatic sensations.

Professionalism builds reputation and protects vulnerable clients.

5. Information Control to Avoid Bias

Provide investigators basic logistical info only:

• Location of reported activity

• Type of experiences (visual / auditory / physical)

Avoid over-informing. Excess detail creates expectation contamination.

Some groups completely withhold information from investigators and psychics to avoid expectation bias. 

6. Environmental Baseline & Setup

Before investigating anomalous claims, establish the normal environment:

Check for:

• EMF sources

• Temperature / drafts / HVAC

• Lighting angles & vehicle headlight paths

• Floor vibration / structural settling noises

• Neighbor sound bleed

• Appliance cycles / plumbing sounds

Mark hotspots discreetly.
Use a master clock synced across team and equipment (±5 seconds tolerance).

Command center should be in a neutral, non-active area.

7. Equipment Setup & Conduct

Prepare equipment days in advance. Low batteries or missing tools undermine credibility.

Common tools:

• Cameras / DVR system

• Audio recorders

• EMF meter

• Thermometer

• Motion sensors

• Flashlight

• Notebook + timepiece

• Two-way radios

• Map of premises

Handle property gently; avoid tape that damages surfaces.

No running. No shouting. No contamination.

8. Interview Witnesses on Site

Procedure

• Conduct interviews in quiet space

• Speak with witnesses individually

• Two-person interview team: one asks, one observes and records

• Never ask leading questions

Key lines of inquiry:

• Personal state before & during the event

• Exact environmental conditions

• Witness feelings & physical reactions

• Pets’ locations/behavior

• Repeat story from different starting points to check consistency

• Recreate physical scenario if needed

Goal: reconstruct the event and test normal explanations first.

9. Case Vigil & Observation Phase

A vigil is a structured observation period (typically 30–60 minutes per session).

Rules:

• Two investigators per area

• No wandering without instruction

• Quiet talking only if relevant

• Lights on unless event historically required darkness

• Avoid boredom-induced misperception

• Take scheduled breaks

Each vigil must begin and end with a verbal timestamp and the name of the investigator recorded on audio. This practice formally anchors the session in time, establishes accountability for who is present, and protects the integrity of the documentation for later review.

10. Data Recording & Notes

Every investigator keeps notes including:

• Time (using master clock)

• Precise location

• Event description (before, during, after)

• Duration

• Known cause if determined (no speculation otherwise)

• Mental/physical state

• Environmental notes (vehicle lights, creaks, observed humans)

• Equipment use and reason

Write notes BEFORE discussing with teammates.
No rewriting to “improve” them — raw notes maintain integrity.

Coordinator collects notes at end.

11. Close of Investigation

• Pack equipment carefully

• Return furniture & objects to original place

• Clean any mess

• Walkthrough with client

• Thank them respectfully

• Only after leaving: conduct team debrief

If a team detects activity in a room, later teams attempt to replicate conditions.

If nothing happens, that is also data.

12. Guiding Principle

The investigation ends not when something paranormal occurs, but when:

• Logical explanations are exhausted

• Observations are thoroughly documented

• Client situation is respected and addressed

• Further visits, if any, are scheduled

The ultimate duty is truth, not belief or performance.
Phenomena must earn their classification.

Closing Thought

A paranormal investigator is part scientist, part historian, part psychologist, and part guardian of human experience. The quality of investigation reflects discipline, humility, and ethical conduct.

Where others chase mystery, the true investigator seeks clarity — even if the result is mundane.

Sources:

• Exploring the Unknown: How to Become a Paranormal Investigator — Rith Deb

• Ghost Hunting: How to Investigate the Paranormal — Loyd Auerbach

• Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter — Steven T. Parsons

• Guidance Notes for Investigators of Spontaneous Cases — Steven T. Parsons

• Paranormal Investigations: The Proper Procedures and Protocols of Investigation for the Beginner to the Pro — Chad Stambaugh
  
  

- Chris

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