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The first step to investigations is to have a location in mind. Locations can be categorized under either indoor or outdoor. Both scenes offer different experiences and require different subsets of equipment. Indoor is usually quieter with less wind, so experiments can be controlled easier. Indoor might also narrow searches within a location to frequent reported experiences. However, outdoor locations offer a unique sense of freedom and wilderness, especially in the dark, so you may be immersed more! That said, outdoor might be for the more experienced investigator, due to the extra elements.
Whether it be indoor or outdoor, you and your team will most likely need permission. As long as you are not trespassing or overstaying your welcome, you should be okay. Some outdoor locations, like public or national parks, are closed after dusk and are difficult to obtain clearance to stay. I would start by reaching out to existing community societies, parks and recreation of the particular township, or park and/or museum offices. If there is no appointed office or representative, I recommend getting in touch with the local police. Whichever location you intend to investigate, make sure you start the communication process for access well in advance of your intended investigation.
Some locations, especially outdoor or abandoned buildings, may not offer typical accommodations like bathrooms or electricity! So it's important to fully understand where you are going before you get there. Joining a guided tour is a great way for any investigator to gain access to locations, and the guides will know what's what. There are a few outstanding tour groups, such as Strange Escapes, Ghost Hunts USA, and US Ghost Adventures. If you are traveling far away, make sure you have proper accommodations as well. Hotels, campsites, or RVs are good to act as a home base. You can also create an itinerary to share with your team, so everyone knows what is planned and when. An example can be found here. And as always, try to bring someone else with you!
Once your investigation is planned, you'll want to begin researching past personal experiences and site history. Keep a look out for events that may have caused great emotion, positive or negative, as these tend to result in residual energy. If you don't have a guide, be sure to check for internet or newspaper articles for the venue or site. If you can, speak to a local historian or check archives at the local library for more accurate accounts.
After knowing a bit more about the location, list out questions you'd like to get answers to. Did you read about a particular death? A famous person? A large battle? Is there a common thread or personal experience a lot of people report on? Using information that is relevant to whoever or wherever you are trying to investigate is the best way to engage for responses. There are techniques below if you need some ideas for experiments!
At the start of an investigation is the Setup phase. This is where your team leaders should go over locale contact information, the team should set up or unpack any gear, and get any detailed information from the tour guides or representatives. If you also believe in prayer or incantations, now would be the time to do so.
After setup, a quick Briefing should occur. Explain the locale and history and what to expect. Go over any previous notable experiences. Observe where restrooms will be located. And make sure everyone knows how to operate their gear properly. Next the team members responsible for research should talk about the Points of Interest. Identify a gear room to store your bags, cases, and identify it as a safe spot that is well lit. Caution teammates about hazardous spots or areas that are off-limits. You should also plan to investigate targeted or hot-spots.
Once the team is briefed, teams should be organized, with at least two (2) investigators together at all times. I recommend no more than five (5) be part of a single experiment, however if orientation is required, have newbies tag along and observe for training. Suggest relevant experiments that teams can conduct throughout the evening. If certain activity is present, that may sway you to conduct different types of experiments. Also rule out any experiments that won't make sense for the locale, they will usually be obvious at the time, like conducting knocks in an open field, or dressing up to reenact in an abandoned house.
Break out into your separate sessions and be wary of noise levels. Avoid being too loud if one team is close to another - especially in standard houses. If you think another team is contaminating a session, pause the session and notify them on radio or cell. Be sure to note down any false positives or accidents on recorders clearly.
When conducting experiments, it's always better to settle in and get comfy. Find a nice chair or an intact bed before sitting on the ground. Don't force your team to be in complete darkness either - spirits will be around regardless of light! Before starting a recording session, greet whomever may be present, introduce yourselves and your intentions, and explain the devices you plan to use if you intend for supernatural interaction. Ask your questions clearly, with adequate pauses (around 30 seconds) in between, and be polite. Depending on the amount of members in a session, you can round-robin questions, employ a leader, or go back and forth.
Be sure to also take breaks! Experimental sessions should usually not exceed 30 minutes, especially if no activity or sensations occur. Head back to the gear room to shuffle teams and head to different locations.
Once your allotted time has expired, or you find yourselves getting tired, begin to regroup at the gear room to debrief and tear down any equipment. Encourage the team to talk about their personal experiences. Did anyone review EVPs after a session? Did anyone witness movement or temperature sensations? Did anyone have their hair pulled? Anything abnormal should be reported and documented for clients - but not yet shared with them! Wrap up your investigation with overall thoughts and discussions of the time spent, then pack up and head out. If your team was part of a guided tour or a representative or caretaker sees you out, thank them for their time and for the access granted to the location. If reporting back to them with evidence, give them a time frame on when to expect it.
When the investigation is over, evidence review begins. Put on your comfy clothes, make a hot drink, and settle in for the hours of review ahead! Watch any recorded video, listen to audio, check timestamps and note down file names for any notable hits. Standard computer software for viewing video would suffice, some even have clip editing software. For audio files, we recommend Audacity as you can visualize waveforms and clip audio segments. Once all your evidence is reviewed, throw it into a shared storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or DropBox for team members to access. If reporting back to a client, be sure to guide the review either on the phone or in person.