Ghost investigations are not a perfected science yet. This is an in-progress page with suggestions for formal investigations. You may disagree; that’s okay. Mostly, these are our own reminders for our future investigations.

• Research - Researching a site ahead of time can influence an investigation. For example, if researchers know that Miss Scarlet killed Mr. Body in the kitchen with the candlestick, they may”sense” violence when they enter the kitchen when there’s nothing there.But, in most cases, we believe that research saves time. If the site’s history indicates that the kitchen should be the focus, we won’t waste too much time in the parlor.

  If you know your fellow investigators, you’ll know whose sensitivities are too-easily influenced.

  You should also ask investigators if they’d prefer not to attend a pre-investigation briefing about the history of the site. Professionals know when (and how) not to allow outside influences to affect their judgement.

• Forms - Every member of the team should be using standard and identical forms to record data and perceptions, and the locations where they occurred. These should be very detailed forms, and completed during the investigation. At the end of the investigation, team members should review the forms and add notes in another color of ink. It’s important to separate what was noted at the time of the manifestation, from how it’s remembered even 20 minutes later.About a week later, team members should complete additional forms, because they’ll have had time to think about what they experienced, and perhaps weight their impressions differently.

  After all the forms are in, hold a meeting (in person, in a conference call, or online) to discuss conclusions.

• Group members - Interview your investigators in advance. You need to know if they are nervous, skeptical, too loud, too quiet, or even over-the-edge. Ghost research attracts all kinds of people.If someone’s behavior troubles you, ask them not to participate. If you’re not certain, include them in a lesser “ghost hunt” first, to see what happens.

  In our experience, people who are too-loud, too-quiet, or jokers, are actually nervous and happily agree not to participate in future investigations. One close brush with a real or imagined ghost often satisfies their curiosity.

  Skeptics are often bored after a minor ghost hunt or two. A few skeptics are looking for a fight. A confrontation may be necessary if they don’t decide to quit the group. They usually back down quickly, with a hasty, “Fine, fine,” or a sneered, “Whatever.”

• Clothing - To look professional and to reduce the likelihood of raising eyebrows, consider having all team members dress consistently. This can be as simple as a white shirt with black pants or skirt, or all-black, or tee-shirts with the group/company’s logo or name on it, or even name tags.Sturdy footwear is essential. Likewise, it’s important to dress appropriately for the weather and setting.

  In the rain, long trench coats or dusters are best for staying dry from head to toe.

  In cold weather, a hat is essential. Body heat is lost around the head. Trousers make someone think its about five degrees warmer than it is, as opposed to shorts or a skirt.

  Colors: All-black clothing? Some neon? Discuss this ahead of time. All-black is good because it won’t distract people the way that, say, hunters’ neon orange can. However, all-black can be mistaken for an entity in a very dark setting, especially outdoors. The mistake is quickly corrected, but once an investigator has had that kind of a fright, his or her later observations may not be as reliable.

  Neon colors, perhaps as a tee-shirt or knit cap, make it easier to spot group members outdoors in dark settings. However, lean towards orange for this; spectral manifestations favor green and blue and this can be confusing.

There are many things to think about when planning a ghost investigation. These are just a few tips that we’ve found useful.