Editorial Pivot: More Focus On Sleuthing, Research & Analysis

Hi gang!

I hope you’re well. I’m putting more focus on the parts of ghost hunting I enjoy most: research, field tests, equipment, and evidence analysis. Then, taking what I find and writing something useful for you.

Really, it’s a return to my roots.

I spent years working as a technical writer, systems analyst, and data analyst. I like figuring out how things work. Give me a strange recording, a gadget to test, or a haunting with some details to check, and I’ll happily spend an afternoon digging into it.

That’s the approach I want to bring to more of Ghostly Activities.

A Case File Approach

My investigation reports will follow four stages:

1. Background: Historical research, witness accounts, timelines, and previous findings.
2. Investigation: What we’re trying to find out, how we set up, and what happens during fieldwork.
3. Evidence analysis: Reviewing recordings, readings, and observations. Checking possible explanations and limitations.
4. Findings: What the investigation supports, what remains unresolved, and what we should try next.

Sometimes, we’ll find an ordinary explanation. Sometimes, we won’t have enough information to say much.

I want to show you how we reached that point. An unexplained sound deserves a closer look, but I still need a reason to call it a ghost.

More Field Tests, How-Tos & Equipment Reviews

You’ll see more articles about setting up equipment, recording reported activity, and reviewing the results.

I like gadgets. I also want to know what they actually do.

What does a device measure? What sets it off? Does it interfere with another piece of equipment? Can I get the same response by moving a radio nearby?

Those questions matter when you’re sitting in a dark room and something starts blinking.

My reviews will focus on how equipment performs and whether it helps answer an investigation question. The how-tos will explain the setup, procedure, and things that can muddy the results.

I want you to have enough detail to try the method yourself. That includes the tests that don’t work. A disappointing afternoon can still save somebody else a lot of trouble.

Ghost Stories Get a Closer Look

There will still be ghost stories. Witness accounts often give us a place to start.

When there’s enough information, I’ll add an analysis and explain how I’d investigate the reported activity.

If someone hears footsteps in an empty hallway, for example, I’d want to know when they happen, who else is in the building, and what sounds travel into that space. Then, I can work out where to place recorders and cameras.

I’ll keep the witness’s account separate from my interpretation. I’ll also make it clear whether I’ve investigated the claim or am proposing a way to test it.

Historical Research Still Matters

I also want to do more historical research, including work on places like Northern State Asylum.

That means checking records, building timelines, and tracing the stories attached to a place. Who is said to haunt it? Where did that claim come from? Do the documented details support the story being told?

History helps us ask better questions in the field. It can also turn up a worthwhile article on its own.

Finding that someone lived or died at a location doesn’t establish that they haunt it. I want to show where the records end and the ghost story begins.

Showing My Work

One thing that frustrates me is finding a ghost hunt report full of clips and pictures with very little explanation.

Where was the recorder? Who was nearby? What happened before the clip started? What did the team check afterward?

Those details help you judge what you’re hearing or seeing. I want to include them, along with my analysis and any gaps that limit the findings.

You may reach a different conclusion. That’s fine. You should have enough information to understand mine.

What This Means for Ghostly Activities

Expect more research, investigations, practical guides, equipment tests, and evidence reviews. Ghost stories and club adventures will still have a place, especially when they give us something interesting to investigate.

If you’ve read my ghost hunt reports, you may be thinking, “D’uh. You already do this.”

Fair enough. I’m giving that work more attention.

There’s plenty about ghosts and hauntings I’d like to figure out. I’ll bring you along, explain what I tried, and show you what I found.

If there’s a gadget, technique, or research question you’d like me to cover, leave a comment below. I answer those faster than email.

Thanks for checking out Ghostly Activities. Much appreciated and take care!

Jake