Lesley Lowenstein								1/12/01
I-Search Project								Outline

I. Introduction
A. For a while now, I have been interested in the Beatles "Paul-Is-Dead" mystery. Though it is rather unheard of, the rumor caused quite a hysteria in the early sixties. So, I have decided to do this as an I-search project. 
B. Guiding Question: Were the Beatles so bored and frustrated with fame that they decided to play ‘joker’ and put supposed death clues in their album covers and lyrics or was the story of the tragic death and replacement of their comrade, Paul McCartney, forever immortalized in best-selling albums?
II. Known Facts
A. A late-night radio show caller named Tom started the rumor. He asked the DJ if he’d heard anything abut the death of Paul McCartney, who hadn’t, and then mapped out the clues for all to hear.
B. The Beatles supposedly placed "death clues" in album covers and lyrics. The album richest with clues was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, with many clues on its strange cover and in its songs.
C. The Beatles always denied the rumor, when asked. 
D. The winner of a look-alike contest, either named Billy Shears or William Campbell supposedly replaced Paul. This seemed a likely possibility because many of the photos of "Paul" during that time were blurry. 
III. Things I Want To Find Out
(Answers on separate sheet.)
A. What is the most complete list of clues in existence? 
B. Do people still believe the rumor now? Was it ever officially confirmed or denied? 
C. Did the Beatles initially come up with the Paul-Is-Dead rumor, or were fans finding "clues" that weren’t really there, which then inspired the Fab Four to place more? 
D. What lengths did the Beatles go to, to prove the rumor false?
IV. Resources / Research
A. Television – This is what initially sparked my interest in the mystery, and provided the basic back-story. A show called "???" on VH1 came on, with a small segment on the mystery. 
B. Book – More specific clues were in this book. Also, it provided more of a background to the mystery and lots of pictures. 
C. Internet – I used this download some songs with Paul-Is-Dead clues, and also to come across more picture clues. 
V. Conclusion
A. Ties to Science – The placement of clues & "riddles" are somewhat of a psychological topic, which is a science. 
B. Ties to Social Studies – The Beatles are a very large part of American pop-culture and history, which is a branch of social studies. 
C. Ties to Mathematics – I can develop a graph or chart of death clues, which will provide a tie-in to math. 
D. Ties to Marine Themes – The Beatles had an album called Yellow Submarine, which is a water-based travel craft.