Glossary

This glossary explains the words you see in Scope apps, in alphabetical order. When a page covers a term in detail, the entry links to it.

​

A–C

​

Apple Intelligence

Apple’s on-device AI. Lectra uses it to summarize documents and answer questions about them on your iPad or iPhone. It needs iPadOS 26 or iOS 26 or later and a device that supports it. See Use Apple Intelligence in Lectra.

​

Arriving

A label on a document in Lectra that was sent from Scope and is still downloading. If the download fails, the document says so and you can tap it to try again. Requires Lectra 10.0 or later.

​

Ask Scope

The part of the Scope extension that answers questions about your courses, such as when an exam is or what’s due this week. You use it from the search bar. See Ask Scope.

​

Backed up

A Lectra document status. It means a copy of the document’s pages, with your markup drawn on them, is saved to your Scope account. Your editable handwriting stays on your iPad. Other statuses include Backing up, Not backed up, and Retry. See Backups.

​

Brightspace

A learning platform from D2L that some schools use instead of Canvas. The Scope extension can search Brightspace courses.

​

Canvas

A learning platform from Instructure where many schools post course materials, assignments, and grades. All Scope apps work with Canvas courses. Scope isn’t affiliated with Instructure.

​

Canvas access token

A long code you create in Canvas, under Account > Settings > Approved Integrations. It lets an app read your Canvas courses without your password. Polya and the Scope extension can use one. You can delete it in Canvas at any time. Some schools don’t let students create one.

​

Canvascope

Scope’s former name. You may still see it on canvascope.org and in some store details.

​

Citation

A small number in a Polya or Ask Scope answer that links to the source it came from, such as a page of a reading, a slide, or a moment in a lecture recording. Select it to check the source yourself.

​

Connector

A way to add Polya to Claude or ChatGPT, so the assistant can search your Polya courses and follow your study mode. See Use Polya in Claude and Use Polya in ChatGPT.

​

D–P

​

.ipynb file

A Jupyter notebook: a document that mixes text, Python code, and the code’s results. Lectra can open, edit, and run notebooks on your iPad. See Run Python.

​

Lectra

Scope’s app for iPad and iPhone. It’s listed on the App Store as Lectra Notes. Use it to read and mark up PDFs with Apple Pencil, take handwritten notes, record lectures, and run Python. See Lectra overview.

​

Lectra for Mac

A free Mac app that works alongside Lectra on your iPad. It lets your iPad open and control your Mac, send files to it, and share a clipboard. It appears in your Mac’s menu bar as Lectra Receiver. See Lectra for Mac.

​

.lectra file

A single file that holds a document from Lectra together with your markup and notes. Use it to keep a full copy of your work or to move it to another device.

​

Lectra Receiver for Chrome

A small Chrome extension that sends PDFs from any web page to Lectra and attaches Lectra PDFs on Gradescope. It’s separate from the Scope extension. See Lectra Receiver for Chrome.

​

Personalized suggestions

Short “what to work on next” suggestions in the Scope extension, built from your own Scope activity. Each one says why it appeared. You can turn them off in Settings.

​

Polya

Scope’s tutor, at askpolya.com. It answers from your course materials, cites its sources, and follows the study mode you choose. See Polya overview.

​

R–Z

​

Recently Deleted

Where Lectra keeps documents you delete, for 30 days. You can restore them or delete them for good. Open it from More library options (•••) in your library. Requires Lectra 10.0 or later.

​

Refresh sync

A command in the Scope extension’s More actions menu. It checks your courses for new material.

​

Remote Desktop

A Lectra feature that shows your Mac’s screen on your iPad and lets you control it. It needs Lectra for Mac. See Lectra for Mac.

​

Scope

The company and the family of apps: the Scope extension, Lectra, and Polya. See What is Scope?.

​

Scope account

The one account you use across Scope apps. Sign in to each app with the same Google account to use the same Scope account. See Your Scope account.

​

Scope extension

Scope’s extension for Google Chrome. It searches your Canvas and Brightspace courses, answers questions with Ask Scope, and sends PDFs to Lectra. It’s listed on the Chrome Web Store as Scope. See Scope extension for Chrome.

​

Scope Inbox

A section of your Lectra library where PDFs sent from Chrome arrive, sorted by course.

​

Search bar

The Scope extension’s search window. Open it on a Canvas page with ⌘ K on a Mac or Ctrl K on Windows and ChromeOS. See Search your courses.

​

Select from Lectra

A button the Scope extension adds to Canvas assignment upload pages and Gradescope upload forms. It attaches a PDF from your Lectra library. It never submits anything for you.

​

Send to Lectra

A Scope extension setting and button that sends a PDF from Chrome to Lectra on your iPad. It’s off until you turn it on in Settings. See Send files to Lectra on your iPad.

​

Sign in later

An option on Lectra’s sign-in screen. It opens Lectra without an account, and your documents stay on your iPad. You can sign in at any time. See Your Scope account.

​

Smart study plan

A Scope extension feature that turns your upcoming deadlines into a study plan. See Make a study plan.

​

Study mode

The setting that decides how much help Polya gives in a course: Open, Guided, Practice, or Review. New courses start in Guided. See Study modes.

​

Study tab

The tab in a Polya course where you add an exam and practice exam-style questions written from your course materials. See Prepare for an exam.

​

Sync course text across devices

A Scope extension setting. When it’s on, the text Scope reads from your course files is saved to your account so your other computers can search it. It’s off unless you turn it on.