Cultural Beliefs
Ghosts
The Ghosts of Stirling Castle A Haunting in Philadelphia Ghost Hunting in the 21st Century Poltergeists: Spirit & Phenomena Residual Hauntings Accountability to Ghost Hunter Team Members Assessing the Threat Level in a Paranormal Investigation Applying the Scientific Method to Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Audio Voice Recorders Becoming a Ghost Hunter New Discoveries in Ghosthunting Capturing Images While Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Case Files and the Case Manager Ghosts: Chillingham Castle Ghosthunting Client Release and Permission Forms Cleansing Rituals and Closure in Ghosthunting Collecting Eyewitness Accounts of Paranormal Activity Psychic Data and Ghosthunting Dangerous Entities in Ghosthunting Cultivating Your Psychic Talents for Ghosthunting Debunking Paranormal Activity Ghosthunting Tools: Divination and Necromancy Ghosthunting Equipment Failure EVPs and the Ghost Box Financial Considerations for Ghost Hunters Electronic Voice Phenomena Follow-Up Paranormal Investigations Following Scientific Protocols in Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Flashlights, Lanterns, Compasses, and Watches When to Revisit a Paranormal Site Sensitives and Paranormal Investigations Gathering Background Data for a Paranormal Investigation Ghosthunting in the Twenty-First-Century Ghosthunting Resources for Sensitives Ghosts in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome Haunted Battlefields Haunted Cemeteries and Graveyards Haunted Schools and Churches Haunted Private Residences Haunted Theaters and Museums Ghosthunting Tools: Infrared Cameras and Motion Sensors Instinct Versus Intellect in Ghosthunting Intelligent and Human Hauntings Ghosthunting Interview Questionnaires Ghosthunting Techniques: Interviewing Witnesses Paranormal Investigation Checklist Involving Priests and Clergy in Paranormal Investigations Laying the Groundwork for Paranormal Investigations Ghosthunting Lectures, Presentations, and Classes Local Sources of Ghosthunting Information Jinxes and Hexes Medical Issues and Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Miscellaneous Equipment Ghosthunting Records and Anaylsis Networking in the Ghosthunting Community Ghosthunting: Covering Your Assets Ghost Hunters Help Those in Trouble New Avenues of Ghosthunting Research New Ghosthunting Technology and Tools New Ways of Analyzing Paranormal Evidence Ghosthunting Observations Analyzing Information about the Paranormal Organizing Your Ghosthunting Team Parapsychologists and Demonologists Patience and Reliability Pay Off in Ghosthunting Perform a Cleansing Ritual After a Paranormal Investigation Ghosthunting Permission Forms Physical Paranormal Attacks Poltergeists and Elemental Spirits Protecting the Client's Privacy in a Paranormal Investigation Protecting Yourself from Physical Paranormal Attacks Protecting Yourself from Psychic Attacks Psychics and Mediums Ghosthunting Gear Recording Paranormal Data and Observations Ghosthunting Release Forms Remaining Objective and Professional as a Ghost Hunter Reviewing Photos and Videos for Paranormal Evidence Showing Paranormal Data to a Client Paranormal Site Investigation Forms Sensitivity to the Supernatural Specialized Paranormal Education Classes An Education in Demonology Technological Resources for Paranormal Investigations The Ghosts of Stirling Castle The Ghost Team The Knowledge of Psychics The Princes in the Tower Thermometers and Chilly Spirits in Paraonormal Investigations Get Permission to Investigate Paranormal Sites Video and Still Photography in Paranormal Investigations Respect the Paranormal Your Paranormal Self-Education One Ghost Hunter's Introduction to the Paranormal Explaining Residual Hauntings Psychic Attacks Understand the Layout of a Paranormal Site Ghosthunting as an Amateur or a Professional An Ancient Belief in the Afterlife Victorian Ghosthunters Psychics and Seers Ghosthunting Techniques: Dowsing Ghosts, Apparitions, and Demons Land Data Research Resources Ectoplasmic Mists and Fogs The Commitment of Psychics to Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Equipment Ghosthunting Team Members: Photographers and Videographers Ghosthunting Tools: EMF and ELF Meters The Ghost Hunter's Responsibility to Clients Ghost Hunting: Mapping Power Sources and Natural Anomalies Educating and Comforting Ghosthunting Clients Haunted Historic Sites Do a Paranormal Site Check with the Client Ghosthunting Equipment Check and Deployment Honing Your Psychic Abilities for Paranormal Investigations Ghosthunting Client Problems Wards and Shields for Paranormal Investigations Analyzing Paranormal Evidence Gaining Access to Haunted Sites Storing Paranormal Evidence on CD or DVD Building an Online Presence for Ghost Hunters Your Ghost Hunting Website Ghost Photo Gallery Compiling and Comparing Psychic Data
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Following Scientific Protocols in Ghosthunting

- Following Scientific Protocols in Ghosthunting    

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  • Don't investigate if you suspect a set up
  • Use scientific reasoning to explain evidence
  • Personal encounters provide powerful evidence
  • Click here for The Everything Ghosthunting Book
Determining what is actually happening is the first responsibility of the investigator, and an honest assessment of the situation, phenomenon, activity, and people involved may not always support further investigation. Are there ever times when a case is dropped after the preliminary interview? Absolutely.

Seasoned investigators realize that it is a big drain on resources to pursue a case when there is little likelihood that the disturbance is paranormal. They also will not continue an investigation if:
  1. There is obviously a natural explanation for what is occurring.
  2. It is apparent the investigators are being lied to or set up.
  3. The situation is in a state of flux, and the malevolent energy present actually requires the services of a demonologist.
  4. One of the parties involved objects to the investigation.

More and more groups are adopting strict protocols to their methodologies. It is rare to find a group today that completely ignores the scientific approach in favor of the barging-around-an-old-house approach of yesteryear. Groups who do so quickly find themselves without clients and are faced with genuine credibility issues. Beginning with the assumption that they will try to debunk or find an organic explanation for the allegedly supernatural phenomenon, researchers gather hard data that they can use to prove their assertion that paranormal events do occur.

With the scientific approach, the investigators seek to gather and follow the evidence, only declaring the incident paranormal when all the natural explanations have been discarded. Sometimes this is at odds with investigations that seek neither to foster nor debunk mysteries but only to solve them. The methods may vary slightly from group to group, but those seeking hard evidence of a haunting must necessarily follow similar rules to achieve their ends.
  • They obtain permission to access the site, clearing it with whatever agency or person controls access before entering the site.
  • They investigate in teams. Investigators buddy up so no one is on her own.
  • Strict records are kept of the equipment in use and electronic equipment is checked before being used in the field to ensure its reliability.
  • The phenomenon that has been reported is analyzed for reproducibility by natural means.
  • Evidence is carefully screened and reviewed with an aim to debunk it.
  • Evidence that cannot be debunked is properly archived and preserved.
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