Question

which of the sources below would be the most credible one to use in an essay describing the experiences of immigrants who went through ellis island in the first half of the 1900s?
a 1915 letter written by a nurse stationed on ellis island to her family telling of an immigrant family she helped
a fiction story that is set in the early 1900s and traces an immigrant’s journey through ellis island
a 2014 article describing the experiences of the author’s father, an immigrant who went through ellis island
a book published in 1960 that contains transcripts of interviews with immigrants who went through ellis island

Explanation:

To determine the most credible source for an essay on Ellis Island immigrants in the early 1900s, we analyze each option:

• A 1915 letter by a nurse stationed at Ellis Island is a primary source from the time period, offering direct, firsthand accounts of helping immigrant families.
• A fiction story is creative and not factual.
• A 2014 article about the author’s father is a secondary account (second - hand, from a later time).
• A 1960 book with interview transcripts, while valuable, is still a secondary source (interviews conducted later, and the book was published in 1960, not during the early 1900s). Primary sources from the time of the events are generally more credible for historical accuracy.

Answer:

A. A 1915 letter written by a nurse stationed on Ellis Island to her family telling of an immigrant family she helped