The Institute of Ghost Science is in its earliest stages. Here is what we are working toward.
Current Initiatives
Glossary of Terms
A standardized glossary to ensure consistency in terminology across investigations and publications. The paranormal field is full of contested vocabulary. Before we can study phenomena rigorously, we need to agree on what we mean when we name them.
Catalog of Anomalous Phenomena
A structured catalog of common reported occurrences and an assessment of their value as scientific evidence. Not all reports are equally useful. Some categories of phenomena are more amenable to systematic study than others.
Evaluation of Evidence Collection Tools
A critical review of commonly used ghost-hunting tools and their scientific validity. Many tools in popular use are either poorly understood or have no empirical basis for detecting the phenomena they are claimed to detect. We will assess each on its merits.
Aggregation of Comparable Reports
Assembling datasets of similar phenomena to enable pattern analysis at scale. Individual reports are anecdotes. Collections of carefully vetted, comparable reports begin to resemble data.
Public Writing
Sharing our reasoning, methodology, and the limits of our inquiry with the public. Science that is not communicated is not science. We will write about what we are doing and why, including when we are uncertain or when our investigations come up empty.
These initiatives are starting points. We expect the scope to grow as we learn what questions are actually tractable.