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Amateur Psychical Research

There are many approaches to psychical research. At one extreme there are the highly-controlled
scientific experiments carried out by scientists in university-based research for which grants have
been awarded. At the other extreme are amateur researchers.

The concern with `DIY' research is that it does not produce reliable results and requires qualified
supervisors who are rare and cannot spare the time to act as advisors. Ideally, research should be
open to supervision and monitoring by a qualified body, as obtaining meaningful results from
experiments requires expertise in experimental design, observation, recording, the scientific method
(which includes sophisticated calculation of probabilities and statistical significance, knowledge of
self-delusion, fraud etc.).

However, there is no reason to give up all research to academics. They may have the laboratories
and the scientific methodology but focused dedicated groups of amateurs can also contribute to field
research. Besides actual research they can help proliferate little-known evidence, raise thorny
questions and formulate research ideas.

Facts are facts, after all. Whether one is a scientist, professor, doctor or bricklayer these facts do not
change.

Copyright © 2004 by Michael Davies

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