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Using This Site

The following is an overview of how the content and tools are organized on AP Central, and the ways you can navigate the site.

Registration, Login, Cookies, and Personalization
Organization of Site Information and Tools
Printing and Screen Resolution
Viewing and Using Special Files (PDF, MP3, RAM)
Submissions to AP Central

Registration, Login, Cookies, and Personalization
Why does AP Central have a registration process?
AP Central uses the registration process to gather information about you so we can personalize your online experience and make it easier to find the information you are seeking. AP Central respects your privacy. We do not sell information about our members or share it with outside parties. You can change your preferences at any time.

Why do I have to log in every time I visit the site?
AP Central tracks who is registering for the site and how often they visit. This information, plus the aggregate data we generate and the number of times pages on our site are viewed, helps us better understand who is using the site and for what purpose.

You can avoid having to log in each time you visit AP Central by checking the box on the registration, login, and profile information pages that says, "Save Login Information as a Cookie." Checking this box tells the system to save a cookie on your computer to remember your email address and password so you don't have to log in every time you visit. This is recommended only for your private computer, not a computer that other teachers or faculty members may use to access AP Central.

Do I have to have cookies enabled to use AP Central?
Yes, you must at least have session cookies enabled to use AP Central. In order to use the "Save Login Information as a Cookie" checkbox on the registration and login pages, you must also have permanent cookies enabled. Check your Web browser's security settings to view and change your cookie settings.

What is personalization and how does it work on AP Central?
You can personalize how AP Central is displayed by associating yourself with a role, a state, and one or more courses.

If you associated yourself with up to five courses during registration, when you click the "My AP Central" button you will see links to the Course Description, Course Home Page, Exam Questions, Exam Tips, and Sample Syllabi pages. You will also be able to see the information for all courses in any of these categories by choosing the index from the link on the page.

If, during the registration process, you checked the box to receive email news alerts for specified course affiliations, you will also receive AP news stories related to your course choices and geographic location when applicable.

Organization of Site Information and Tools
The left-hand navigation bar provides access to the seven main sections of AP Central, while the top navigation bar provides access to tools. When you move your cursor over the name of a section in the left-hand bar, a menu of subsections will appear to the right. You can scroll through the menu and click on the name of the section or the subsection of your choice.

As you navigate through AP Central, your location on the site will be displayed at the top of the page by a word trail called "breadcrumbs." These hot-linked words show the path you took to get to your current page on the site. For example:

The Exams>ExamQuestions>Art History shows that you started in the Exams section, then clicked the Exam Questions subsection, and then chose Art History from the course index on that page. Members of AP Central who have logged in also have an expanded home page, with links to feature stories, AP Program updates, personalized news stories, and other important areas of the site (including the AP Document Library, College Board Online Events, and Electronic Discussion Groups).

The Left-Hand Navigation Bar
My AP Central
My AP Central provides a personalized display of information about the courses of your choice, based on your personal profile.

The Advanced Placement Program
This section includes general information about the AP Program (including the history of the Program and AP initiatives), as well as the following subsections: Starting an AP Program, Achieving Equity, AP Research, AP Scholar Awards, and AP International).

The Courses
The AP Program currently offers 33 courses in 19 subject areas, with four world languages courses to be offered in the near future (Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian). Subsections in The Courses include: Course Home Pages, Course Descriptions, and Sample Syllabi.

The AP Exams
The AP Examinations are administered each year in May and represent the culmination of college-level work in a given discipline in a secondary school setting. The following subsections can be found in the Exams section: All About the Exams, AP Exams Calendar, Exam Administration for Coordinators, Exam Fees and Reductions, Exam Questions, and Exam Tips.

Pre-AP
Pre-AP is a suite of K-12 professional development resources and services for middle and high school teachers. Subsections include the Teachers' Corner for Pre-AP and Pre-AP Workshops, Publications, and FAQs.

Professional Development
The AP Program recognizes that a critical factor in improving AP student achievement is effectively supporting AP professionals, particularly with regard to course-specific content and pedagogical knowledge. Subsections include: About Institutes and Workshops, College Board Online Events, Getting Started for Teachers, Professional Development Research, Become and AP Exam Reader, Become a Workshop Consultant, and AP Grants.

Higher Education
This section focuses on the crucial relationship between AP students and teachers and colleges and universities, and includes subsections for Setting Credit and Placement Policy, Course and Exam Development, AP Research, Find Credit Policy Information, and Get Involved.

Top Navigation Bar (Expanded Tools for Members)
AP Community
Use the Community Contacts feature to contact others in the AP community directly via email. You may search for members by state, by professional role, by experience level, and by course. Member email addresses will not be shared, until and unless the member chooses to respond. You may also register for course and role-related Electronic Discussion Groups to exchange ideas, insights, and practices with colleagues and peers.

Teachers' Resources
Use the AP Central Teachers' Resources area to find reviews of teaching resources, including books, Web sites, videos, textbooks, software, periodicals, and more.

Institutes & Workshops
Use this tool to find professional development opportunities, including College Board workshops and AP Summer Institutes, in your area.

Contact AP
This tool provides an easy way to ask questions of AP staff, send suggestions, and submit contributions for AP Central.

FAQs
Find answers to commonly asked questions about the AP Program, specific courses, and AP Central.

Printing and Screen Resolution
Many pages on AP Central are available in a printer-friendly version. To print, choose   at the top right of the page, then choose the "Click to Print Page" icon.

AP Central is best viewed at 800 x 600 dpi or higher screen resolution. It is easy to change the display for your screen: If you use a PC, from the Start menu go to Settings/Control Panel/Display; if you use a Mac, go to Apple/Control Panel/Monitors.

Viewing and Using Special Files (PDF, MP3, RAM)
PDF Files
AP Central offers many documents in the form of PDF (portable digital format) files. These files retain the formatting of the document for viewing or printing.

To download a PDF file to your computer before printing, right click and choose "Save Target As..." on a PC. On a Mac, simply hold down the mouse button until the "Save As..." prompt appears. You will need to use the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view these files. If you don't have Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher installed on your computer, choose the Adobe Acrobat Reader link for installation instructions. For help downloading and printing PDF files, choose "PDF Troubleshooting" below.
  Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®
  PDF Troubleshooting

MP3 Sound Files
If the Windows Media Player is not already installed on your computer, go to the Windows Media Download Center to download the Player for either Windows or Apple computers. To download an MP3 file directly to your computer, simply right click on the link and choose "Save Target As..." on Internet Explorer and "Save Link As..." on Netscape. To play an MP3 file, click on the link or file name if it has been downloaded. If you have any problems using MP3 files go to the Windows Media Player FAQ or the help section of the Web site of the MP3 player you are using.

Some versions of Netscape have trouble handling MP3 files and may display "gibberish" in the browser window. If this happens, try clicking on the link while holding down the shift key or right-clicking the link, then select "Save this Link As...."

Real Audio Sound Files
The "Real Player" can be found at Real.com. Once the player has been downloaded to your computer, you can open a file by clicking on the link. The player should then automatically open and the file should play. If you have any problems, go to the Real Player Web site and check the Customer Support section.

Submissions to AP Central
Submissions are subject to editorial review. Please send submissions to apccontributions@collegeboard.org.





  ABOUT MY AP CENTRAL
    Course and Email Newsletter Preferences
  AP COURSES AND EXAMS
    Course Home Pages
    Course Descriptions
    The Course Audit
    Sample Syllabi
    Teachers' Resources
    Exam Calendar and Fees
    Exam Questions
    FAQs
  PRE-AP
    Teachers' Corner
    Workshops
  AP COMMUNITY
    About Electronic Discussion Groups
    Become an AP Exam Reader

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