Three-Stage Fieldwork Guide for Paranormal Investigations

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This process (adapted from the book Ghosted: Exploring the Haunting Reality of Paranormal Encounters) ensures investigations are thorough, systematic, and credible. Each stage builds on the previous one.

Stage 1: Case Documentation (Background Research)

Objectives Build a complete profile of the location, witnesses, and reported phenomena. Gather background info and context.

Checklist:

• Site details – Age, structure, layout, environment (temperature, airflow, light sources, acoustics).

• Historical background – Past uses, significant events (deaths, tragedies, folklore, rituals).

• Witness interviews –

  • Document psychological state, belief system, recent stresses or traumas.

  • Note prior paranormal beliefs or experiences.

• Anomaly records –

  • Catalog all reported phenomena (e.g., apparitions, sounds, objects moving).

  • Note subjective reports (personal perceptions, feelings) separately from objective reports (events observed by multiple witnesses or measured by instruments).

• Baseline environment – Measure and log normal EMF, temperature, sound, and light levels before investigations.

⚡ Tip: Treat every witness account seriously but critically—record without judgment, but analyze later.

Stage 2:  Exploratory Inspection (Observation and Documentation)

Objectives: Conduct structured site surveys to document anomalies under controlled conditions. Carefully witness and record phenomena in real time.

Checklist:

• Walkthrough plan – Divide location into zones. Inspect one zone at a time, logging conditions.

• Team controls –

  • Limit team size.

  • Control light/noise sources.

  • Track who is where at all times.

• Observation tools –

  • Cameras (video & still).

  • Audio recorders.

  • EMF meters, thermometers, motion detectors.

  • Written logs.

• Observation method –

  • Record subjective impressions separately from objective instrument readings.

  • Avoid leading questions or suggestions.

  • Note exact times and conditions for each observation.

• Environmental checks – Draft diagrams of the location, mark areas with unusual sensations or anomalies.

⚡ Tip: Always assume anomalies may have natural causes—draft explanations before calling anything “paranormal.”

Stage 3: Hypothesis Testing (Experiment and Analysis)

Objectives: Test suspected causes or correlations of reported anomalies. Active testing and analysis.

Checklist:

• Identify hypotheses – Examples:

  • “Apparitions appear when mirrors reflect outside light.”

  • “Voices are linked to plumbing or ventilation.”

  • “Cold spots are linked to drafts.”

• Design test conditions –

  • Replicate reported conditions (same time of day, same people present).

  • Control environmental factors one by one (block sound, adjust lighting, seal drafts).

• Run controlled trials – Repeat tests multiple times to confirm or rule out correlations.

• Log results – Note whether anomalies continue under altered conditions.

• Conclude – Categorize each anomaly:

  • Explained (natural)

  • Inconclusive (further study required)

  • Unexplained (potentially paranormal)

⚡ Tip: Even unexplained anomalies should be described in neutral terms (“unaccounted light anomaly”) rather than sensational ones (“definite ghost orb”).

Quick Summary

• Stage 1: Gather the story (document site, people, and reports).

• Stage 2: Observe in a structured manner (controlled inspections).

• Stage 3: Test the claims (scientific approach).

By following this method, investigators produce work that can stand up to both skeptics and believers—bridging the gap between storytelling and science.

- C.E.

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