Lesson plan

29 Below

29 Below (or 29 Below: An Encounter with John Wayne Gacy) is an autobiographical true crime book by Jeffrey Rignall and Ronald Wilder. It was ghostwritten by Patricia Colander. 29 Below was published in July 1979, the first book on the subject of then-recently apprehended serial killer John Wayne Gacy. The book details Rignall's relationship struggles, his encounter with Gacy, and its aftermath. Its title refers to the twenty-nine victims discovered buried on Gacy's property.

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Article summary

29 Below (or 29 Below: An Encounter with John Wayne Gacy) is an autobiographical true crime book by Jeffrey Rignall and Ronald Wilder. It was ghostwritten by Patricia Colander. 29 Below was published in July 1979, the first book on the subject of then-recently apprehended serial killer John Wayne Gacy. The book details Rignall's relationship struggles, his encounter with Gacy, and its aftermath. Its title refers to the twenty-nine victims discovered buried on Gacy's property.

Key claims

  1. date of death: 2000 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1979 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of death is "2000". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1979". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362326811

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.