One of the most commonly reported phenomena in spontaneous cases is the sound of disembodied footsteps. These sounds can occur at any time and can be thrilling to hear, but simply experiencing them does not provide meaningful data. It is important to rule out the possibility that researchers themselves are causing the sounds, either by shuffling their feet or standing on creaky floorboards.

Since footsteps are often reported as coming from adjoining or empty parts of a building, we can deduce that there is no requirement for researchers to be present in the property in order for the sound of footsteps to occur. In cases where footsteps are a key phenomenon, it may be better to leave the property completely empty and use at least one audio recorder to attempt to capture the sounds, this ensures that any sounds captured cannot be attributed to human presence.

For a more in-depth investigation, multiple...