Near-Death Experiences Research Paper

BACKGROUND

Throughout history there have been reports of near-death experiences by people who have had close calls with death. They claim to have experienced one or more of a variety of mystical phenomena; for example, rushing through a dark tunnel toward a brilliant light, observing themselves dying from an out-of-body location, feeling a sense of peace and joy. Since near-death experiences have yet to be authenticated by medical science, they are still generally considered to be in the realm of parapsychology.

BROWSE FOR BOOKS ON THE SHELF USING THESE CALL NUMBERS

133.9–133.9013

155.937

001.942

LOOK UNDER THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS IN THE CATALOG (CARD OR COMPUTER)

Near-death experiences

Near-death experiences—Case studies

Near-death experiences—Psychological aspects

Near-death experiences—Religious aspects

Death—Psychological aspects

Death, Apparent

REFERENCE MATERIALS THAT MAY HELP (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

Basford, Terry K. Near-Death Experiences: An Annotated Bibliography, 1990.

Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. Harper’s Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience, 1994.

Kastenbaum, Robert, and Beatrice Kastenbaum, eds. Encyclopedia of Death, 1993.

Melton, J. Gordon, ed. New Age Almanac, 1991.

Mysteries of Mind, Space and Time: The Unexplained. H. S. Stuttman, 1992.

Parapsychology, New Age, and the Occult: A Source Encyclopedia. Reference Press International, 1995.

PERIODICAL INDEXES TO SEARCH (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

EBSCO Magazine Article Summaries
InfoTrac

NewsBank and other newspaper indexes

Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature

SIRS (Social Issues Resources Series)

WILSONDISC

ONLINE DATABASES TO SEARCH

America Online

CompuServe

Dialog

Internet

Prodigy

KEY WORDS AND DESCRIPTORS FOR PERIODICAL INDEX AND ONLINE SEARCHES

Near-death experiences

Deathbed hallucinations

Out-of-body experiences

Apparent death

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION TO CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

International Association for Near-Death Studies, P.O. Box 7767, Philadelphia, PA 19101–7767.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NARROWING THIS TOPIC

Describe some of the common experiences among near-death survivors.

Evaluate the role of religion in near-death experiences.

Investigate near-death-experience research as it pertains to children; to adults.

SUGGESTIONS FOR RELATED TOPICS

Coma

Hypnotism

New Age movement

Reincarnation

Unconscious state

This RESEARCH TOPIC GUIDE is intended to help the library user find information and materials on a particular topic in many sources throughout the library. Resources on this topic are not limited to those described and availability will depend upon the individual library. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance.