The phase-alternated experiment in liquids, a multiple-pulse NMR experiment capable of scaling chemical shifts, is examined theoretically and experimentally. The theory of the experiment is worked out using both the average-Hamiltonian and classical magnetic-dipole techniques, and the results from the two methods are compared. The effects of nonideal pulse cycles are discussed. Theoretical results are compared with experimental data, and a high-resolution NMR spectrum with scaled chemical shifts is presented.