Name:
Immigration Research
From There to Here
“Your” Account for Future Generations
Objective: Write an account of the immigration experience. You will take the role and point of view of the
immigrant group (country) and family member entering the United States between 1880 and 1920 that
was assigned to you. Through your research, you gathered a wealth of information to create an “identity”
for yourself, and now you will tell “your” story focusing on those facts that were given to you as well as
supplementing it with information that you discovered. You should assume that you have been in
America for thirty years now, but you are sharing your experiences of making the decision to come here,
your travels here and the first experiences of your new life in America.
 This allows for some creative liberty, but should be historically accurate (based on fact).
 Include research and cite it parenthetically in text.
 Bibliography (works cited) will be printed and turned in with the essay.
 You will NOT be working with a partner on this.
Tips to keep in mind:
 Use formal language and keep a formal tone (do not use well, so, etc. to start a sentence!)
 You may use I
 Do not use YOU.
 Do NOT ask your reader/audience questions.
 No Contractions.
 Parenthetical citations are required.
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The essay should be in SWF with 1 inch margins – approximately 1.75 - 3 pages (no longer)
Say what you need to say in as many paragraphs as you need to use!
Introduction (paragraph 1): When writing an introduction, follow ANT.
Attention getter – get the reader’s attention. Try any of the following:
• Anecdote: a short testimonial/story
• Unusual or startling fact from a credible source—one that cannot go unnoticed
• Quotation: an eloquent statement said by an expert or “notable” person
 An Example: a hypothetical situation that will open readers’ minds
Necessary information:
• Very brief (2-3 sentences) of general information that you will continue to develop in your body
paragraphs.
Thesis: Your introduction should end with your thesis statement.
Thesis Example: Due to the increasing shortage of farm land, my family decided to set
sail for America, even though it meant an expensive and long journey, because we were
determined to have a better life by farming land that had just become available in the
Midwest.
Body Paragraphs (as many as you need to organize your evidence for your thesis):
Provide your evidence to support your thesis in at least 5 body paragraphs. Please keep in mind the following:
• Topic sentence: The topic sentence is the most important part of your paragraph because it indicates what
your paragraph is about. Your topic sentence should be clear, concise, and specific. Keep your paragraphs
organized around one main idea which is stated in the topic sentence.
• Thesis should guide the content: Remember the thesis provides the roadmap for your essay!!
 Number of Paragraphs: There may be a particular part of the research that interested YOU more than
others, and you may certainly give it more attention with additional paragraphs. For example, if your
assimilation into American culture was especially difficult you could devote a couple paragraphs to just this
(examples: language, religion, appearance).
 Transitions: Use transitions to connect ideas, contrast ideas, and guide your reader THROUGH your essay!
Transitions should be used IN a paragraph and BETWEEN paragraphs. Check your hand-out for ideas.
Conclusion (last paragraph):
• Tie all your points together.
• Clincher: End your essay in a thoughtful way. You may want to circle back to your attention-getter or try to
leave your reader thinking. This gives a sense of closure to your essay.
First Draft Due:
Final Draft Due: