Editing Project Alpha (hoax) (section)

== Experiment ==
In response to the announcement of this venture, James Randi wrote to the lab with a list of 11 pitfalls and his suggestions on how to avoid them.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |author-link= James Randi|last1=Randi |first1=James |title=The Project Alpha Experiment: Part 1 The First Two Years |url=https://archive.org/details/JamesRandiTheProjectAlpha |website=Internet Archive |year=1983 |accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref> These suggestions included a rigid adherence to the protocol of the test, so that the subjects would not be allowed to change it during the run. In writing about Project Alpha, he cited [[Uri Geller]], who had changed protocols during tests at [[Stanford Research Institute]]. Whenever something did not work, Geller simply did something else instead, which the researchers then reported as evidence of a successful experimental result.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Flim-Flam!: Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and other Delusions |author-link=James Randi |last=Randi |first=James |publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1982 |isbn=0879751983 |pages=137–139}}</ref> Other suggestions from Randi included using only one test object at a time, and permanently marking the object or objects used so they could not be switched with similar objects. He also suggested having as few people in the room as possible to avoid distractions. In addition, Randi offered his services to watch the experiments, noting that a conjurer would be an excellent person to look for fakery. According to [[Michael Thalbourne]], Phillips did not take Randi up on the offer because of the magician's reputation of being "a showman rather than an unprejudiced critic" and his perceived hostility towards psychic claimants.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Thalbourne|first=Michael |date=October 1995 |title=Science Versus Showmanship: A History of the Randi Hoax |url=http://www.aiprinc.org/para-c05_Thalbourne_1995.pdf|journal=Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research |volume=8 |pages=348 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> However, on April 1, 1982, Randi awarded Phillips a Straight Spoon award for reconsidering his position on loose controls after what Randi called a "less-than-enthusiastic reception" for his presentation at the 1981 Parapsychological Association conference.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Truzzi |first=Marcello |date=August 1987 |title=Reflections on 'Project Alpha': Scientific Experiment or Conjuror's Illusion? |url=https://www.aiprinc.org/documents/Zet.pdf |magazine=Zetetic Scholar |issue=12–13 |pages=73–98}}</ref>

While testing applicants, the lab started to focus its energies on two young men, Steve Shaw and Mike Edwards, who were much more successful than other applicants. In fact, the two young men were magicians who had each independently contacted Randi when the opening of the laboratory was announced.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.banachek.com/uncategorized/amazing-randi-banacheks-brain-18/ |title=Banachek's Brain #18: The Amazing Randi |author-link=Banachek |last=Banachek |date=December 16, 2018 |website=Banachek |access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> They offered to participate as test subjects with Randi's support. Part of Randi's instructions to these men was to tell the truth if ever asked whether they were faking the results. According to Randi, they were never asked this question directly; according to a Washington University spokesman, Fred Volkmann, "Such a confrontation did occur and [Edwards and Shaw] did not own up."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Sleight of mind: Magicians con psychic researchers |date=January 29, 1983 |work=The Baltimore Sun |page=A3}}</ref> Shaw and Edwards recall that they were not asked whether they worked with Randi, but simply told there were rumors to that effect.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.banachek.com/uncategorized/mike-edwards-part-2-banacheks-brain-19/|title=Mike Edwards Pt. 2 Banachek's Brain #19|last=Banachek|author-link = Banachek|date=December 23, 2018|website=Banachek|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>