How to be a UFO investigator

For the past few weeks, I've been teaching a short course titled "How to be a UFO investigator" at the McNally Community Classroom. The class is full, and the group is attentive and curious about the subject. It's also a really nice space, well-appointed and modern, although the A/V had a few bugs and the room was a bit hot, but they supplied a fan which cooled everything down really nice.

The course is not about why aliens are visiting Earth. It's not a history of ufology. It's not a debunking of every case ad nauseam.

The course is more about what steps and process are involved in investigating, examining evidence and understanding what UFO sightings and reports are really like from an objective standpoint.

Here's the list of topics covered:

• Case Studies
• The History of UFOs 
• Why bother with UFOs? 
• Why bother to collect UFO reports? 
• A short introduction to ufology 
• Some definitions Proof? 
• Skepticism 
• Ufology as a multidisciplinary field of study 
• Investigating UFO sightings 
• Explanations: Turning UFOs into IFOs 
• Some thoughts about hoaxes 
• Critical thinking 
• UFO interview checklist 
• UFO investigation checklist 
• Code of practice for UFO investigators

For case studies, I'm using actual case reports submitted to various UFO groups, government files and even my own investigations.

Here are my talking points about "Why bother with UFOs?":

Why bother with UFOs?

UFOs are persistent global phenomena that seem to be mysterious and which have polarized the scientific and lay communities regarding their real, physical existence.

There is no single, simple explanation for all UFO reports.

Tens of thousands of UFO sightings are reported each year around the globe.

Polls have shown that about ten per cent of all North Americans believe they have seen UFOs.

In Canada alone, this means that more than 3 million people think they have seen UFOs.

Perhaps the number one reason to study the UFO phenomenon is because UFO reports exist. Therefore, some real stimulus is giving rise to sightings of UFOs.

Tonight, I'll be covering case investigations, including an excellent CE from last month on the outskirts of Winnipeg (with special guest Geoff Dittman) and details of a case reported to Toronto Police earlier this week. Also, by request, some interesting Canadian cases and investigations of record.

More about this course soon!