


GHOST Interview; 50 Questions to use when recording for Electronic Voice
Phenomenon
A few years ago I was given W. Haden Blackman’s “A Field Guide to North
American Hauntings” and enjoyed it very much. His “Sample Questionaire for
Ghosts” (Appendix B) was the basis for these interview questions.
Whenever I do EVP recordings I am usually stumped as for what to ask. I watch the
ghost hunting programs on television and always wonder how the answers to the
questions they ask would further their research even if the spirits replied. These
questions are designed first in such a way as to gain information that might be
verifiable through historical research.
If you get any replies from the spirit these should be used to conduct independent
research. They are designed to provide answers that could be historically validated.
You will (of course) need to ask the question and sit quietly, leaving space on the
recording for an answer to be recorded.
Please, PLEASE, investigators do not ask leading questions! Just because the
“reports” say this is Aunt Suzy’s ghost you need to leave room for the contingency
that the spirit may be mis-identified. So leave those preconceived notions at the door!
For instance; if recording for EVP at The Lemp Mansion do not ask all your questions
as if it is William Lemp who will answer. You could lose the opportunity to hear from
a spirit who is not that one. That’s why none of these questions are “Is this Aunt
Suzy?”
Trying to ID the spirit
1. What is your name? Do you have a nic-name? Were you named after some one?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you have any relatives? What are their names? You may want to simplify this
further by saying what was your father’s name, your mother’s name? Etc.)Did your
family move to this country from another country? If so where and do you know what
year that was?
4. Are you married? What is your spouse's name? Were you married more than
once? Do you remember your anniversary/anniversaries? Do you have children? What
are their names and ages? Where and when were they born?
5. Where do you live? Do you own the place you live? Who did you buy it from? If
you rent, what is your land lord’s name? Did you build your own home? If so where
did you get supplies? If not do you know who built it?
6. Where do you go to church? What is the pastor/fathers name?
7. Where do you work (or go to school, if the ghost is young)? What do you do to
support yourself or what does your husband/father do to earn a living? Do they own
the business or have an employer. Who is the employer?
8. What are your hobbies or favorite pastimes? Who is your favorite author?
Politician? Performer?
9. Do you belong to any organizations such as The Masons, Knights of Columbus, or
DAR?
10. Who are your close friends?
11. Where do you most like to visit? What stores do you buy your staples from?
Where do you buy your clothing?
12. Where were you born? Was there a physician at your birth A midwife or relative?
Do you know what their names are?
13. Are you attached emotionally to a possession?
14. Have you ever spent any time in an asylum, prison, or military installation or in
the armed services, served as a law enforcement officer or held public office?
A spirit may or may not know that they are no longer among the living. Many
hypothesize that it may be dangerous to tell them they are dead while others believe
that is the best way to try to convince the spirit to move on. The next questions will
not necessarily be ones that you can research for documentation but many have
good luck with spirits replying to queries along these lines.
15. How do you generally feel? Are you happy or sad? Physically, how do you feel?
Are you in pain or emotional distress?
16. Are you ever tired, weak, hungry, or cold?
17. How is your long term and short term memory? Are your memories clear or do
they seem confused? What is your strongest memory or experience?
18. Are you alone? Are you lonely?
19. What year is it? Do you know today's exact date?
20. Where are you?
21. Who is the president of the United States (or king of England, or chief of the local
tribe depending upon when and where the ghost died)?
22. Do you ever crave certain foods or beverages?
23. Do you have any violent thoughts?
24. Have you committed any violent actions?
25. Does my manner of speech or dress seem strange to you?
26. Do you have nightmares or daydreams?
27. Do you ever feel trapped, confused, or lost?
28. Do you ever dream that you die?
29. Do you recognize anything around us? Does that seem unusual?
30. Have you ever considered the possibility that you may be a ghost?
31. I believe that you are a ghost. How does that make you feel?
The next goal, if you are obtaining replies to your questions would logically be
learning about the afterlife. Depending on your individual situation you may
decide to ask some of these questions as well.
32. Can you fly, move through walls, or become invisible? Or are you aware of
traveling from one place to another and how you get there?
33. Do you feel that you have returned from the dead because you have a mission to
complete?
34. Do you feel that you have returned from the dead because you are searching for
someone or something?
35. How did you die?
36. [If the ghost was murdered] Who do you think was responsible for your death?
37. [If the ghost was a suicide] Why did you take your own life?
38. [If the ghost died in a tragic accident] Do you know of others who perished with
you?
39. What do you enjoy most about being a ghost?
40. What do you like least about being a ghost?
41. What do you miss most about being alive?
42. Do you know any other ghosts?
43. When you are not visible to me, where do you go?
44. Do you ever remember a moment, perhaps as you died, when you consciously
chose to become a ghost?
45. Do you know where your body is buried?
46. Have you visited your old home?
47. Do you enjoy frightening people?
48. Have you ever attacked anyone using your ghostly powers?
49. Why have you allowed me to conduct this interview?
50. Are you tired of being a ghost?
[If the ghost answers yes to question 50] Is there anything I can do to help you find
peace?