> ## 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.

# Get started with Polya

> Sign in to Polya, add your first course, choose a study mode, and ask your first question.

This page walks you through your first session with Polya: signing in, bringing in a course, and asking a question. It takes about five minutes, plus the time Polya needs to read your materials.

## Before you begin

* You need a Google account. Polya saves your courses and study sessions under it.
* Have one of these ready:
  * A Canvas course you're enrolled in.
  * The address of a class website, like `ds100.org/fa26`.
  * PDFs of course materials, like lecture slides or a textbook chapter.

## Sign in

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Polya">
    Go to [askpolya.com](https://askpolya.com) and select **Get started**, or go straight to [askpolya.com/login](https://askpolya.com/login).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Continue with Google">
    Select **Continue with Google** and choose the Google account you want your courses saved under.

    If you haven't added a course yet, you see **Bring in your first course**. Otherwise, you see **Your courses**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Polya signs you in with Google. The **Sign in with email and password** link is only for accounts that already have a password. You can't create a new account with an email and password.
</Note>

Your Polya account is your Scope account. If you already use Lectra or the Scope extension with the same Google account, you're signed in to the same account. See [Your Scope account](/get-started/account).

## Add your first course

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Add a course">
    Select **Add a course**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose how to bring the course in">
    Pick the option that fits your class:

    * **Use the Scope extension**: if you use Canvas in Chrome and have the Scope extension.
    * **Paste a Canvas access token**: works with any Canvas school and any browser.
    * **Add your course website**: if your class keeps its materials on its own public website.

    For full steps for each option, see [Add a course](/polya/add-a-course).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let Polya read your materials">
    Polya brings in your materials in the background. A progress box in the sidebar shows how many items are ready. You can start asking questions while the rest finishes, and you can close the tab.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  You upload your own PDFs on a course's **Materials** tab, so the course needs to be in Polya first. You can't start a new course from uploaded files alone. See [Upload your own files](/polya/materials#upload-your-own-files).
</Note>

## Choose a study mode

Each course starts in **Guided** mode: hints and steps first, with the full solution after you've had a go. To change it, open the course, select the **Materials** tab, and choose a mode under **How much help do you want?** For what each mode does, see [Study modes](/polya/study-modes).

## Ask your first question

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the course">
    Select the course under **Courses** in the sidebar, or select its card on **Your courses**.

    The **Chat** tab opens with **What are you working on?**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type a question">
    In the box at the bottom, type a question about the course, like "What's the difference between variance and standard deviation in Lecture 4?" Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> to send.

    Polya shows **Reading your course materials…**, then writes its answer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check a source">
    Select a numbered citation in the answer, like `[1]`, to open the source it came from.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To learn more about chat, see [Ask questions and read cited answers](/polya/chat).

## Use Polya on your phone

Polya works in your phone's web browser. On narrow screens, the sidebar moves into a menu button at the top right, and sources open in a sheet from the bottom of the screen.

<Tip>
  To open Polya like an app, add it to your home screen. On an iPhone or iPad, open askpolya.com in Safari, tap **Share**, then tap **Add to Home Screen**.
</Tip>

## Sign out

To sign out, select **Sign out** under your name at the bottom of the sidebar. On a phone, open the menu button at the top right first.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Prepare for an exam" icon="list-check" href="/polya/study">
    Use the Study tab to map an exam and practice.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect ChatGPT or Claude" icon="plug" href="/polya/claude">
    Use your Polya courses inside another AI assistant.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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