SALEM, VA – A sweeping settlement made by the U. S. Department of Education in the class action lawsuit, Sweet v. Cardona, includes many highly questionable claims that unlikely warrant loan forgiveness under applicable federal policy. While not taking a position on the overall decision, American National University is concerned about the precedent set given the highly dubious nature of many of the claims lodged against the institution, and forcefully rejects the department’s implication that there is evidence of misconduct on the part of the university.
American National University has thoroughly investigated the claims made against the institution. We found no evidence to substantiate any misrepresentation of any kind. Many claims simply did not state a claim eligible for relief under the statute. The majority of claims failed to provide any documentation of alleged misconduct as required by Department of Education regulations, while ANU was able to provide documentation to the Department refuting the vast majority of stated claims.

The Department appears to have taken the position that simply attending an educational institution with a particular tax status constitutes the statutory requirement of a strong indication of misconduct to warrant loan forgiveness. American National University rejects any implication created by the Department’s settlement that students who attended American National University were in any way the victims of institutional misconduct.
American National University responsibly follows applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and beyond that adheres to an institutional philosophy that is dedicated to the best interest of the student. A sizeable proportion of our graduates – including a number of those who filed claims against the institution – return for a second or even a third degree or other credential. More than two-thirds of those who submitted claims successfully completed a degree program with ANU.

In student satisfaction surveys over the last several years, an overwhelming majority of respondents indicated that through ANU they had completed their educational goals, would recommend ANU to a friend, and were satisfied with their individual academic programs.  For example, 97.5% of respondents indicated they were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their overall experience with ANU in the most recent survey year.

ANU has consistently tried to limit costs and indebtedness for our students. Since 2018, ANU has slashed tuition anywhere from 10% to 54%, depending on program.  We have held the line on tuition increases since that time until only recently raising tuition for a handful of programs due to inflationary pressures.  What’s more, since 2018 we have eliminated nearly all additional fees that institutions typically charge: no technology fees, no activity fees, no fees for books or learning materials, no graduation fees; and for undergraduate programs, no application fees.

Founded in 1886, American National University provides opportunities for individuals who are seeking to achieve their career goals by offering credential and degree programs through distance education and blended learning.  For more information, visit an.edu on the web or call 833.388.1100.

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Getting Started Writing an Academic Paper

This page will provide you with a variety of resources to help you organize, format, and write your paper.  Remember, that ANU has adopted the use of the latest edition of the APA Style Manual, which governs the style requirements for your paper.

Writing an academic paper should occur over several steps.  It should not be considered done in one sitting.  The more preparation you do before you begin to write, the easier and more cohesive it will be.  To learn more about each of these steps, consult the ANU Library’s Getting Started Writing a Paper Guide.

Developing Research Questions and Problem Statements

A research question is what you intend to investigate related to your research topic. A research question will lead you to a “problem” statement (or thesis) in your paper.  To develop a good question you have to be knowledgeable about your topic.  The more you know about a topic, the easier it is to develop a good question.  The research question is the start of your paper.  Research Questions are:

• Focused on a specific area of the topic. Think about what aspect of a topic most interests you.
• Centered around a complex issue.  The issue needs to be complex enough to find multiple sources for your solution/argument.
• Clear in their scope (i.e. not too broad and not too narrow).

Answers to these questions will form your problem statement and help form the structure of your paper.

A well-defined problem statement will serve as your compass in gathering evidence and reporting the evidence in your research paper.  Components of a Problem Statement/Thesis are:

• Define the problem/issue you will research
• Narrow the scope (i.e. might be a region, population, culture, etc.)
• Explain the significance (why should the average person care about the issue?)
• Propose a solution (what can be done to address the problem or issue?)

Problem Statement Worksheet

Annotated Bibliographies

Guide for Annotated Bibliographies Worksheet

APA Writing Resources

APA’s Student Title Page Guide

APA’s Student Paper Setup Guide

Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style

Links to Additional Writing Resources

General Writing Introduction by the OWL at Purdue University

Writing Basics by the University of Arizona Global Campus

Help with Grammar and Spelling using the Grammarly desktop app

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What is APA Style?

The term “APA” refers to a style of writing and formatting that was created by the American Psychological Association.

A style guide provides a set of rules that govern the format and style of writing, particularly academic or scholarly writing. The purpose of a style guide is to provide uniformity in writing across disciplines, which makes it easier to read and understand academic writing. Using a style guide correctly also lends credibility to the document being written.

There are several different style guides in use today – for example, you may have heard of the APA Style, MLA Style, or Chicago Style. You may also see some of these styles mentioned as you conduct research in one of the library’s databases.

The APA style is primarily used in the social, behavioral, and health sciences, and it is ANU’s official style (latest edition).

APA standards provide rules on the following:

• How to credit sources (create citations)
• How to format & organize a paper
• How to create a references page

Why do we cite?

There are two main reasons why we cite sources.  First, ethically it is important to give credit to the intellectual works of others.  Second, citation acts as a marker for the reader.  Similar to clicking on a hyperlink on a web page to get more information, in-text citations and references tell readers where to go to find more information about the source used in a paper or presentation.  As you advance in your academic endeavors, you may find that consulting reference lists used in articles you read to be helpful in advancing your own research efforts at finding new information sources.

What is a citation?

When writing a paper for class, you may be required to cite one or more outside resources that you used in your research. This simply means that you should find expert information sources to back up your writing, and cite (or quote) them in your paper. You will do this through the use of citations and references.

A citation is broadly defined as a quote from a book, article, passage, or other text or author. A reference is broadly defined as something that refers a reader to another source of information. Citations and references contain the basic information that is needed to find a specific document, including the document’s author, title, and publication information.

Both citations and references are used to give credit to authors for original ideas and arguments. That means that whenever you make a reference to another document or use an argument from another author in your paper, you need to cite that document and give credit to the author for their ideas.

The APA style requires that two types of citations be provided for each outside source that you use in your writing: a references page citation, and an in-text citation.

What is an in-text citation?

When you are cite information from an outside source in your writing, the APA style requires that an in-text citation be provided immediately after the source is referenced.

These in-text citations require an author’s last name and the date of publication for the document, for example, (Smith, 2010).

Examples:

• Profit is “directly tied to employee motivation” (Mathias, 1984, p. 64).
• Several studies (Anderson & Yost, 2014; Benson, 2001; Zimmerman & Ross, 1999) indicate that…

You can learn more about how to create in-text citations using the APA’s In-Text Citation Checklist.

What are reference page citations?

The source lists that appear on the references page of your work must provide the most complete information possible about a resource. These references are designed to help readers locate the resources that you use in your research and writing.

They must include the following elements:

• Author
• Date of publication
• Title of Work
• Publication Information

Examples:

Gore, A. (2006) An Inconvenient Truth: The planetary emergency of global warming and what we can do about it. Rodale Press.

Carolina, D. (2014). A model-driven methodology for developing secure data-management applications. IEEE Transactions of Software Engineering, 40(4), 324-337. 10.1109/TSE.2013.2297116

You can learn more about how to create a reference list using the APA’s Reference List Guide.

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Choosing & Focusing Your Research Topic

Once you have read and understood your assignment, it’s time to choose a topic. Sometimes instructors will have a pre-approved list of topics for you to choose from, but other times you may need to come up with a research topic on your own. Whether you need to write a research paper, give a speech or presentation, or complete another type of assignment, this guide is intended to give you some ideas on how to choose and focus your research topic.

Choosing a Topic

Identify your interests:

• Pick something that interests you! This will make your assignment much easier.
• Scan through the course syllabus to see what topics your class covers each week, and see if any pops out at you.
• Scan the chapters of your textbook for topics of interest.
• Browse through newspapers, journals, magazines, or other information sources to see what current issues are interesting to you.

Do some basic research:

• Conduct some introductory research on two or three topics that interest you the most.
• Read some general articles to see what issues are under discussion and what scholars
  are saying.
• Some good places to start your research include:
  • Gale Academic OneFile
  • ProQuest Central
• For each topic, ask yourself: is there enough information available on this topic to
  complete the assignment? If your initial search does not yield enough information, you
  may need to expand your search (see our tips below).

Brainstorm: 

• Identify some key concepts and ideas from your initial research. Think about the who, what,
  where, when, and why of your topic. Brainstorming will not only help you choose an appropriate
  topic, but will also help you later as you conduct more in-depth research.
• Write out what you know, think you know, and what you want to know about the topic.
  • What questions do you have about this topic?
  • What are some subtopics and related topics for these concepts?
  • Fill out a Brainstorming Map to help you!
• An effective search strategy will not only save you valuable research time, but it also prevents the likelihood of reaching a dead end causing a change in topic.

Focusing Your Topic

It is common to modify your topic through the course of the research process, so be flexible! You may need to either narrow or broaden your topic, depending on how much information you are able to find. 

To narrow your topic:

• Focus your research on a particular time period.
• Focus your research on a particular region; such as, a geographic region, a particular country or
  state, a local area. 
• Focus your research on a particular population; such as, urban or rural populations, populations
  of a specific age range.
• Look back at your research – what are some similar or parallel topics that you encountered in
  your research? Are there any that you could include in your research to expand your topic?
• If you get stuck, ask for help from a librarian.

To broaden your topic:

• Alter or eliminate any filters that you are using in your research.  For example, focus on a less specific population or do not limit your focus to a particular.
  geographic area.
• Broaden the time period you are studying. Remember that it may be more difficult to find
  information on recent issues, especially if you are looking for scholarly resources.
• Try using more general search terms in your research.
• For example, try searching for “performance enhancing drugs” instead of “anabolic
  steroids.”
• Look back at your research – what are some similar or parallel topics that you encountered in
  your research? Are there any that you could include in your research to expand your topic?
• If you get stuck, ask for help from a librarian.

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Academic Integrity

The principles of academic integrity encompass standards of honesty and truth. Each member of the University has a responsibility to uphold the standards and to take action when others violate them.  Academic dishonesty is any form of giving, taking, or prescribing information or material with the intent to gain an unfair advantage in an academic setting. Forms of dishonesty include but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, self‐plagiarism, poor scholastic achievement, or misrepresenting academic engagement (ANU’s Code of Academic Integrity Policy).

Preventing Plagiarism

ANU defines plagiarism as “representing words, ideas, or other works of another individual or entity as your own without giving proper credit to the original author or source (Code of Academic Integrity Policy).  Students who are found to have committed plagiarism in their work can be subject to disciplinary action from a zero on an assignment, up to and including dismissal from the University.  Educate yourself to avoid these consequences.

Take the ANU Library’s Plagiarism Quiz

Grammarly’s free plagiarism detection software

Citation Software

There are also citation software helpers that you may wish to consult, especially when working with online sources. However; it is important to remember that all citation software produces computer generated results.  You should always double check these citations as you may find punctuation errors from time to time.  Zotero is one of several free citation management software systems, https://www.zotero.org/.

Remember, no matter which citation style you are using, you will be required to cite in two places: at the point of use in your paper or presentation and at the end of your work.

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Jack Hatfield obtained his master’s degree in Business Administration from ANU in 2010 and went on to  have a successful career in health insurance. During this time, he decided to publish a cookbook titled “Eat’n with the Hatfields” featuring his grandmother’s home recipes. While writing the book, he came to the realization that, among all his success, something was missing.  

 “I loved my job and I loved what I was doing it,” Hatfield recalled, “But I just wasn’t passionate about it … there was a huge gap in my life.”   

Deciding to pursue this new opportunity, he met with other high-profile members of the Hatfield family and began developing a greater understanding of their combined history and heritage. The Hatfield family was famously involved in a decades-long blood feud with a neighboring family, the McCoys, which led to the deaths of those within the families and those loyal to either side. Following the cookbook’s publication, Hatfield decided to dedicate a serious portion of his time to serve as a representative for his family in order to educate the public about the very real people behind the notorious quarrel. He began traveling the country giving presentations and participating in Q and A’s and meet-and-greet sessions.  

“There’s nothing that brought me more joy than representing the family.”  

Hatfield later developed a close relationship with his great aunt, Judy Hatfield, who originally owned and operated the Hatfield and McCoy foundation. The foundation seeks to preserve the families’ history and promote the ideals of peace, diversity, and acceptance. This relationship led to Hatfield joining the team and eventually taking over the foundation in 2017. “I just asked her if she wanted to let me give it a go, and she said, ‘Why not? Sounds like it’s perfect.’ … So, I abandoned my career making nice money to zero, and decided to run full force with it.”   

Throughout tackling both for-profit and non-profit businesses, Jack stated that he could not imagine his success without his ANU School of Business education. “It’s been quite an interesting journey going from the for-profit world to the nonprofit world,” he noted. “Now I’m working on grant proposals and all these other things where I’m used to working on and creating policies and procedures. Now, I’m having to switch those gears. But, on the business side, it’s still a business.”   

The Hatfield & McCoy Foundation’s Museum is set apart from other similar institutions by being the only one run by direct descendants of Hatfields and McCoys, who now consider themselves as one large family. To better achieve their mission of education and preservation, the foundation seeks to retain what has gradually left the family’s ownership throughout the years. Jack notes that while the original homeplace is owned by the foundation, which has dedicated funding to the preservation, the same cannot be said for many other properties and landmarks. “We have tourists coming from all over the world to [travel] the Hatfield and McCoy trail system,” he said. “They’re coming here for family history… and they see an area that’s just been abandoned. We’re trying to change that.” Currently, the museum is looking for sponsors, partnerships, and construction to help them with this goal.  

While many historical sites in the area have yet to be restored, visitors can still enjoy walking the grounds and learning about the Hatfield-McCoy war. “Even when you enter this property, you’re coming across history,” Jack said. “It’s very special.” Being that the museum is owned by the families who took part in the feud, visitors have access to more accurate and in-depth information. By telling the full and true story of the conflict and the people caught on both sides, visitors receive a tale of escalating conflict, bitterness, and violence that culminates in a long-overdue truce and reconciliation. If visitors have one takeaway from their visit, the foundation hopes that it’s this; if the Hatfield and McCoy’s can achieve acceptance, unity, and peace despite their tumultuous past, anyone can.  

For more information on the Hatfield and McCoy Museum and  how you can donate or become a partner, visit their website, www.hatfieldmccoyfoundation.org  

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Excellence Award of 2022

Three members of the ANU faculty – Angela Blocker, Amber Pogacsnik, and Betty Sue Reynolds – have been named the recipients of our Semi-Annual Faculty Instructional Excellence Award of 2022. Program chairs, deans, and direct managers undergo the nomination process twice each year, seeking individuals who embody ANU’s values. Nominees must display a commitment to teaching and their students; an engaging, encouraging, active teaching approach to ensure students are intellectually stimulated; the ability to effectively communicate with students; and a positive, lasting impact on students. Earning this award is how we recognize members of the faculty who embody these ANU values.

• Angela earned her B.S. in Counseling and my M.A. in Human Services Counseling in 2015.
• She has over 8 years of experience working as a clinical medical assistant for Internal Medicine and the Department of Defense- OB/GYN in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• In 2011 she began teaching as an adjunct instructor, transitioning to full-time teaching in 2014.
• She has two daughters with whom she enjoys spending time. She has lived in Texas, New York, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. She currently lives in Tennessee and considers it her home. She enjoys quiet days/nights at home with a good movie.

• Amber Pogacsnik holds both a Bachelor’s (B.S.) and Master’s (M.A.) in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University.
• Over the last three and a half years at American National University, she has taught many subjects, including Social Problems, General Sociology, and Cultural Appreciation.
• Her favorite part of teaching general education courses is being able to help students develop their sociological imaginations and think about the larger world around them. She also helps them learn how to think instead of what to think and improve their information literacy, skills that she notes are necessary to navigate and succeed in society today.

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Entertainment:

Events – From now until November 11th, see what free events are happening for Veterans Day.

Restaurants:

Applebee’s – Veterans and active-duty military receive a free meal when dining in from a special menu on November 11. And when dining in on November 11, military guests will receive a $5 bounce back card to redeem for dine-in, To Go, or delivery within three weeks.

Bandana’s BBQ– Veterans and active-duty military get a free Budget Buster Meal on November 11.

Buffalo Wild Wings – Active-duty and veterans get 10 free boneless wings and fries on November 11th

Golden Corral – Golden Corral is hosting their Military Appreciation Night on November 11 from 5pm to close. This includes a free “thank you” meal when dining in.

IHOP – Veterans and active-duty military get free Red, White & Blueberry Pancakes at participating locations on November 11. Dine-in only.

Joe’s Crab Shack – Veterans and active-duty service members get a free meal at participating locations on November 11. Joe’s Crab Shack will also hand out a $5 bonus card to all veterans and active military members that can be used from November 12 through December 31, 2021. The free meal has a value of $15.

Mission BBQ – Veterans and active-duty military get a free sandwich on November 11.

Red Lobster – Veterans, active-duty military, and reservists get a free appetizer or dessert from a special menu on November 11. Dine-in only.

Sheetz – On November 11, Sheetz offers veterans and active-duty military personnel a free half turkey or ham sub and a regular-size fountain drink. Sheetz will also provide a free car wash to veterans and active-duty military.

Shoney’s – Veterans and active-duty service members get a free All You Care To Eat, Freshly Prepared Breakfast Bar on November 11 until 11 am. Dine-in only.

Smoothie King – On November 11, veterans and active-duty military members get a free 20 oz. smoothie.

Starbucks — Veterans, military service members, and military spouses get a free tall (12-oz) hot brewed coffee at participating stores on November 11.

Texas Roadhouse – Texas Roadhouse will hand out dinner vouchers at the stores’ parking lots on November 11, from 11 am to 2 pm. Veterans and active-duty military can redeem their dinner vouchers when the restaurant opens for dinner, through May 30, 2022.

Wendy’s – Active-duty military and veterans get a free breakfast combo on November 11 at participating locations from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

View more restaurant deals here.

Retail:

Academy Sports + Outdoors – This Veteran’s Day season, Academy Sports + Outdoors is offering first responders, active-duty military, veterans, and their families, a 10-percent discount on their entire purchase in-store and online. Offer valid through Nov. 14. All you have to do is show proof of service or present a valid military ID at checkout.

Bed Bath and Beyond – Active Duty, DoD, Reserves, Guard, Retirees, Veterans, and Military Spouses get 25% off their entire purchase (in-store only; ID or proof of service required).

Big Lots– 10% discount for active military personnel and veterans who are members of the company’s Big Rewards program. This program has been announced as a year-round offer.

Dollar General – Dollar General is proud to offer an 11% off discount on the second Wednesday of each month using DG Digital Coupons to any active military personnel and veterans.

Food Lion –  10% off all groceries (some exclusions such as cigarettes, alcohol, etc.) for Active & Retired Military Personnel.

Great Clips –  Great Clips will be offering a free haircut to military veterans on Veterans Day. If a non-veteran comes into Great Clips on Veterans Day and gets a haircut, they’ll be given a card that any veteran can redeem for a free haircut. Card offer lasts until December 10th.

Home Depot – Home Depot is offering all active-duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans, and their families (with ID card) a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veterans Day. Some limitations may apply.

L.L. Bean – (through Nov. 11): 15% military discount (increased from the normal 10%)

Lowes – Military veterans and their spouses with a 10% discount every day with verification.

Mattress Firm – Save 10-20% off any purchase for current and former military members, veterans’ families, and first responders.

Oakley Sunglasses – Oakley Standard Issue offers discounts for military members and first responders. Receive an additional discount on Veterans Day. Free shipping on orders over $75 and free returns.

Pandora Music – 20% off Pandora Premium. A 60-day free trial, and military discount for $7.99/mo.

Target – 10 percent discount on a purchase, in-store and online. Eligible guests can visit Target.com/circle/military to register with Target Circle™ & verify as military to receive the discount. (Some product exclusions apply; discount via a single-use coupon).

View more retail deals here.

Don’t Forget About Your Year-Round Discounts!

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To become a member of the DET HS chapter at ANU, initiates must demonstrate achievement, character, and leadership within their community. DET HS will join other forms of recognition of student achievement at ANU, alongside graduation honors, graduation awards in several categories recognizing top graduates in each curriculum and other achievements by graduates, and the Dean’s and President’s lists for academic achievement each term.

“We are so pleased to be able to honor our students with an offer of membership to the Delta Epsilon Tau honor society,” says our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Carolyn Scott. “Our new charter with DET HS gives us the opportunity to provide our outstanding students with the national recognition they deserve.” 

American National University, founded in 1886, provides a wide variety of academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the fields of health science, business, legal studies, and information technology.  Through its Global eUniversity, ANU reaches students around the world, allowing them to attend live, interactive classes from anywhere.

Learn more at www.an.edu.

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Dr. Derrick Aboagye completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Health Promotions and Master of Arts degree in Human Services with specialization in Health and Wellness Counseling both Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. and obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Hampton University. He worked for CVS Pharmacy for 14 years starting as a pharmacy associate, certified pharmacy technician, and eventually becoming a pharmacist.  He also served as the Pharmacy Technician Program Director for Old Dominion Job Corps Center and Stratford University before joining American National University where he now serves as the Dean for the Pharmacy Technician Program.

Joy Walker, MPH, Esq. received her Bachelor of Science degree from Oakwood College and a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama. Before her legal career,  Walker served as a Public Health Associate for the Centers for Disease. After receiving her Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School Of Law, she partnered with a private practice concentrating on employment, criminal, personal injury, and domestic relations law. She is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb and has completed judicial and executive training at both the National Judicial College and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In addition to her private practice, Walker taught at multiple universities and held high positions in the legal field. This includes serving as a Senior Public Defender in Atlanta, Ga., an Associate Judge in the Recorders Court of DeKalb County, and a Chief Judge of the Recorders Court. Walker also sat by designation on the State and Superior Court Bench and worked as a contract manager in the Office of Procurement and Contracting for a State of Georgia agency. She is a member of numerous professional and civic organizations which include the State Bar of Georgia and the District of Columbia Bar Association.

Joy Walker is currently a professor in the Legal Studies department at American National University and the principal of Joy Walker Consulting, LLC where she consults small to medium size companies and governmental agencies on business and procurement matters.

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