We understand that most people who hear of our group make assumptions about the type of research we do based on what they have seen in popular media. We do not conduct ourselves in the same manner as what has been portrayed. We consider ourselves scientists, even though we are not conducting our research in conventional areas of thought.

History of BSPRS
In the spring of 2007, a group of six Ball State Anthropology students started meeting on a semi-regular basis to discuss opinions on paranormal television shows. This group had met in some form or another since 2006 from students in Professor Jim Nyce’s Anthro 301 class. Now the group seemed be more solidified and focused on a simple goal. All of the students shared a common interest in the paranormal, however no one was pleased with what they were seeing displayed in the popular media. These so-called scientific groups portrayed in these shows and print media sources did not stand up to the scientific scrutiny that was being instilled in these students by Ball State.

Over the course of the year the group witnessed several changes in who was attending these meetings. However the core group strove to come up with a truly scientific manner in which one could research the paranormal. Since the group was made of anthropology students, they decided to approach their research design in terms of the field.

Eventually the group decided to attempt to implement some of the methods they have been developing. During the spring semester of 2008 the group submitted an application for recognition as a student group, in order to formalize their group in the eyes of the school. During this time, several small investigations were conducted and methods were continuously honed. Several connections to groups outside of the school were made to better understand the current state of paranormal investigations.

The fall of 2008 saw the acceptance of the group as an official student organization on Ball State campus. By now, the group had changed again. Most of the original members had gone off, some graduated, others moved on to other universities. This new incarnation of the group conducted more investigations, with a more academic focus. They found that there are several groups and individuals who felt the same as they did. To present a more accurate picture of the diverse nature of the field, the group decided to host Ball States first paranormal conference.

The focus of the group had not changed. The group thought seriously about the implementation of scientific methodology in the field where they saw it was not being presented. To them, the groups goals of applying what they have been learning during the classes they were attending was the epitome of the schools stated goals of innovation.

Focus and Purpose
Ball State Paranormal Society is devoted to the scientific and rational exploration of the paranormal. Our mission is to bring paranormal investigation and academic work in this field together, while maintaining professionalism and high standards of ethics. We strive for education and assistance for those who are experiencing phenomenon they do not understand. Moreover, we focus on helping those who come to us, not just investigating their claims.

The group has agreed that the first stage of research should be first and foremost collection of ethnographic information of the people who have claims of paranormal experiences. Ethnographic data collection starts with interviews, conversations, location histories, and conducting a form of participant observation of the location and people in question. As a part of this step, we also collect environmental data from locations where claims of paranormal activity have been made. By creating a large sample pool of data concerning the environments where these claims are made, a statistical analysis of the readings could lead to further understanding of causes for such claims. It is important to remember that the data collected is only environmental. While, like groups seen on television and in print media, anomalous findings such as unexplained audio recordings and images on video may be captured, however that is not the goal of the investigation nor is it the end of analysis of the data collected.

Like archaeological field methods, where you must follow specific steps from phase I to phase II and so on, this research needs to be done in stages. During archaeological field research, one cannot start out by trenching a location, and this mentality extends our approach to the paranormal. Currently we recognize and understand that there is no real theoretical foundation for the investigation of the paranormal. We also know that the research needs to move past the first stages. However there has been no real work in that area. Once we have done our initial analysis of the environmental data, the next stage of research will be developed based off of our findings.

We are interested in moving research in this area into a new dimension. It has taken two years of trial and error to get to this point in our research. It may take many more years to move to the next stage. However we do believe that the next stage is reachable. During this time, we are also looking at possible applications of other discipline theories to the field such as systems theory.

We know that this will not change the mind of those who do not see paranormal research as a legitimate field of inquiry. Our goal is not persuade others that our course is right or wrong, but that the application of science is possible. The research we propose to do, and are currently working towards will show if there is scientific causes or explanation for these claims. It is our aim to apply the knowledge that we have gained in the course of our education in an area that lacks attention. As beginning anthropologists, as scientists at heart, it is our belief that we can make a contribution.