Once the investigation is completed, it is then time for the many, many hours of going over evidence. Video, pictures and recordings must be pored over and closely examined. The records of the EMF meters, thermometers, and any other equipment used has to be noted for any changes or patterns.
Another several hours will be spent listening to the audio captured for any EVP’s. Once all of this is done, and if there is anything captured that raises a question… it then comes time to rule out any natural causes for the evidence captured.
All in all… seems like a lot more time is spent debunking than actually finding paranormal evidence. This may be true, however it does no good to have evidence that can be otherwise explained. Many amateur ghost hunters pop up and present pictures and EVP’s as “proof” of spirits… only for it to be explainable. It may make for some interesting stories and chills… but it brings us no closer to finding real evidence of ghosts, UFO’s or any other paranormal activity.
To understand what lies beyond what we see, we have to first know what it is that we are seeing. If it turns out that it isn’t paranormal, it is better to report that. There is still evidence, especially in EVP’s, that has been captured and has no real explanation at this time, although it is few and far between. An educated and honest approach to investigating are the first steps in finding answers in a field that has so many questions left to ask.
Reader Comments on Paranormal Investigation Techniques and Equipment:
Thank you so much for the informative overview. This article really covers the foundations and equipment for a solid and thorough investigation. Many thanks to both the author and the consultant. ~ Kathy Houck
As I have stated, anyone claiming to be any type of “paranormal investigator”, should be mandated to be licensed or regulated in some way as are other professionals, ie; doctors, lawyers, etc. Unfortunately no such mechanism exists at this time. With all the “types” of “investigators” coming out of the woodwork, some doing their “job” seriously, with no malice or attempting to defraud anyone to those who will take a persons money, do little or nothing to deal with the situation in a constructive way,and then “run like hell”, never to be heard from again, leaving an individual or family more confused than before. My only suggestion, since licensing is still a long ways off, is to have a more educated public or consumer group, who will know what questions to ask an “investigator” before anything is done, to see, as best as possible, that the “investigator”, is at least talking a good game but that might be all they can do. Too many are simply “volunteer groups”, modeled after Ghost Hunters,which is bad enough in itself but they could be worse, with loads of “toys” that look impressive, light up, make noise, and little else. Get the “volunteers” out and at least have professionals, whatever they are, to do the “grunt work”. ~ D.Holland