> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.canvascope.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Add a course > Bring a course into Polya from Canvas, from the class website, or both, so the tutor answers from your materials. Polya can only teach from what it has read. Adding a course brings that course's readings, slides, pages, and other materials into Polya, so its answers come from what your class covers. You can bring a course in from Canvas, from the class's own website, or both, and add your own PDFs afterward. ## Before you begin * [Sign in to Polya](/polya/get-started#sign-in). * Decide which way fits your class: | Way to add | Best for | What you need | | - | - | - | | [Scope extension](#add-a-course-with-the-scope-extension) | Canvas courses, if you use Chrome | The Scope extension, signed in with the same Google account as Polya | | [Canvas access token](#add-a-course-with-a-canvas-access-token) | Canvas courses, in any browser | Your school's Canvas web address and a token you create in Canvas | | [Course website](#add-a-course-website) | Classes that post materials on a public website | The website's address | | [Your own files](/polya/materials#upload-your-own-files) | Textbook chapters, notes, practice exams, formula sheets | PDFs or transcripts, and a course that's already in Polya | Uploads go into a course that's already in Polya. To study a class that has no Canvas course and no website, you can't start a course from uploaded files alone. ## Add a course with the Scope extension The Scope extension for Chrome can send the Canvas course you're looking at straight to Polya. There's nothing to copy or paste. In Polya, select **Add a course**, then select **Use the Scope extension**. Polya shows three short steps and **Waiting for your course to arrive — this page updates by itself.** Leave this page open. If you don't have the extension yet, select **Install the Scope extension**. Sign in to the extension with the same Google account you use for Polya. For help, see [Install the Scope extension](/chrome/install). In Chrome, go to the course's page in Canvas. Open Scope's search bar, type `polya`, and choose **Study in Polya**. Scope shows **Bringing this course into Polya…**, then **Course sent to Polya.** with an **Open in Polya** button. The Polya page you left open moves to the course on its own. You can also select **Open in Polya** in Scope. If nothing arrives after a few minutes, Polya shows **Nothing has arrived yet. Make sure Scope is signed in with this Google account, or paste a Canvas access token instead.** Select **paste a Canvas access token** to switch to the other method. ### Messages from the extension | Message | What to do | | - | - | | **Open a Canvas course first.** | Go to the course in Canvas, then choose **Study in Polya** again. | | **Sign in to Scope with the same Google account you use for Polya.** | Sign in to the extension with the Google account you use on askpolya.com. | | **No readable materials were found in this course.** | The course has no PDFs, pages, assignments, or syllabus that Scope can read. If the class has its own website, [add the website](#add-a-course-website) instead. | | **Study in Polya is turned off in settings.** | Turn the option back on in the extension's settings. | | **Everything was already up to date.** | The course is already in Polya and nothing has changed. | To bring in new materials later, open the course in Canvas and choose **Study in Polya** again. Scope sends only what's new or changed. ## Add a course with a Canvas access token A Canvas access token is a code you create in Canvas that lets Polya read your courses. Polya keeps it private, uses it only to read the courses you choose, and never posts anything back to Canvas. In Polya, select **Add a course**, then select **Paste a Canvas access token**. In a new tab, sign in to Canvas and do the following: 1. Open **Account** > **Settings**. 2. Under **Approved Integrations**, select **+ New Access Token**. 3. For the purpose, enter something you'll recognize, like "Polya". 4. Generate the token and copy it. Canvas shows the full token only once, so copy it before you close the window. In **Your school's Canvas web address**, enter the address you use to reach Canvas, like `https://canvas.youruniversity.edu`. In **Canvas access token**, paste the token. Select **Connect Canvas**. Polya shows **Pick your courses** with your active Canvas courses. Select the courses you want, or select **Select all**. Then select **Bring in 1 course →** (the number matches your selection). If you picked one course, Polya opens it. If you picked several, Polya opens **Your courses**. If you don't see **+ New Access Token** in Canvas, your school may not let students create tokens. Use the [Scope extension](#add-a-course-with-the-scope-extension) or the [course website](#add-a-course-website) instead. ### Add more courses later Polya remembers your Canvas connection. The next time you select **Add a course**, it shows **Checking your Canvas connection…** and goes straight to **Pick your courses**. * Courses already in Polya show **✓ Imported** or **Importing…** and can't be picked again. * If every course is already in Polya, the button reads **All your courses are already in**. * To connect a different Canvas account or school, select **Use a different Canvas** below the course list. It reads **Not** followed by your Canvas name, then **Use a different Canvas**. If Polya says **We couldn't find any active courses on this Canvas account**, your term may not have started yet. Check back once your courses are published in Canvas. ## Add a course website Some classes keep their schedule, slides, and worksheets on their own website instead of Canvas. Polya can read that website and the files it links to. In Polya, select **Add a course**, then scroll to **Add your course website**. You can also select the **Add a course website ↓** link at the top of the page. Paste the website's address, like `ds100.org/fa26`. If you already have courses in Polya, choose which course the website belongs to. Polya preselects a course when the address contains its course number. Choose **A new course** to make a separate course from the website. Adding a website to a course you brought in from Canvas keeps everything for that class in one place. Select **Add website**. Polya shows **Reading the website…**, then opens the course's **Materials** tab, where the new items appear as they're ready. ### What Polya reads from a website * The website's pages under the address you entered. * PDFs those pages link to. * Google Slides, Docs, and Drive files that the pages link to or show, when they're shared publicly. * Jupyter notebooks that the pages link to. Polya follows the website's own rules about which pages automated visitors may read. It checks the website about once a day for new items. To check right away, select **Check for updates** in the course's **Materials** tab. See [Check for updates](/polya/materials#check-for-updates). Polya can't read pages that need you to sign in, or Google files shared only with your school's Google accounts. A very large website is read in part: Polya reads up to about 120 pages from it. ### Messages when adding a website | Message | What it means | | - | - | | **That doesn't look like a course website address.** | Check the address for typos. Enter the address of the course's home page. | | **We couldn't open that website.** | The website didn't respond, or it isn't public. Check that it opens in your browser without signing in. | | **That address points somewhere Polya can't open.** | The address isn't a public website. Polya can't read private or local addresses. | | **Everything is already up to date.** | Polya already has everything on the website. | ## What Polya brings in from Canvas When you add a Canvas course, Polya reads the following: * PDF files in the course. * Canvas pages. * The syllabus. * Assignment descriptions. * Captions from lecture videos posted in the course, when Polya can get them. Polya doesn't bring in files that aren't PDFs, such as Word or PowerPoint files. To use one, save it as a PDF and [upload it](/polya/materials#upload-your-own-files). Polya only reads from Canvas. It never posts, submits, or changes anything there. ### Scanned pages Some PDFs are pictures of pages, like scanned readings or slides exported as images. When a page has no text, Polya reads the image of the page, so a citation still points to the right page number. If Polya can't find any readable text in a file, the file shows **Scanned — skipped** on the **Materials** tab. ## While a course is importing Polya reads your materials in the background. You don't need to stay on the page. * The sidebar shows **Importing 1 course** (or the number of courses) and how many items are ready, like **12 of 40 ready**. * The course's card on **Your courses** shows an **Importing** label. * You can ask questions right away. Polya answers from the materials that are ready so far. If many people are using Polya at once, an import can pause. The sidebar then shows **Things are busier than usual, so this import is waiting its turn. It continues on its own, and nothing you've already imported is affected. You can close Polya.** You don't need to do anything. Polya limits how many pages it reads for one account each day. If you bring in several large courses at once, part of the import can wait until the next day. It picks up again on its own. ## Limits | Limit | Value | | - | - | | File types from Canvas | PDF only | | Pages read from a course website | About 120 | | PDF pages Polya reads per account per day | 10,000, then the rest waits until the next day | | Scanned pages Polya reads per account per day | 2,000, then the rest waits until the next day | For upload limits, see [Upload your own files](/polya/materials#upload-your-own-files). ## Related See what Polya is studying, upload files, and check for updates. Fix problems connecting Canvas or importing a course. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.