What is Prep? What are the Goals of Prep?

Guide Prep is a 17-day online training program. During Prep, applicants:

• Learn: Prep shows applicants how to use About's tools and how to be an About.com Guide.
• Create: Applicants create a sample GuideSite on the topic they applied for. If the applicant successfully graduates from Prep, this sample site is published on About.com.

About.com editors use the Prep process to observe the applicant's writing style, site organization abilities, knowledge of and passion for the topic, ability to work with our tools, and response to criticisms and suggestions.

How Does Prep Work?

Prep is a self-directed online program with up to five candidates for each open topic. Candidates receive a site description, which outlines the information that should be covered on the sample GuideSite. Each candidate is also expected to read through the instructions we provide on how to work with our content management system and build a sample GuideSite on the topic. Additionally, all candidates are assigned a Prep Mentor, who answers questions about tools and provide feedback on the sample sites.

At the end of Prep, editors determine which candidate should graduate. After a short post-grad period, successful candidates are promoted to the live environment, along with the GuideSite they created in Prep. There is no compensation for Prep, but successful graduates do receive a bonus after they go live.

During Prep, Applicants Will:

• Create a plan: After reading through your site description and the documentation on how to create a GuideSite, create a navigational structure for your sample GuideSite.
  
  
• Create navigation: Once you have discussed your navigational structure with your Prep Mentor and received approval, create navigation on your sample GuideSite using About.com's tools.
  
  
• Create content: With the beginnings of navigation in place, you can create content. Content on About.com takes two general forms: templated content (articles written within our 10+ templates) and blogging (blog entries run down the middle of every About GuideSite homepage).
  
  
• Respond to Prep Mentor's suggestions: As you work on the GuideSite, your Prep Mentor will check in on you for two major reviews. At each review, the Prep Mentor will evaluate your progress, and critique your work.

Graduating Prep/Final Evaluation:

Prep concludes with a final review and evaluation of candidates' GuideSites. When evaluating GuideSites, editors and Prep Mentors look for:

• Quality Writing: Content should be entertaining and well-written. All writing must be free of any typos, spelling errors, or grammatical mistakes.
• Passion for the Topic: Candidates' writing styles should show how much they want to share their knowledge with others. A really good Prep GuideSite will attract the interest of a reader who knows very little about the topic.
• Clear Organization: GuideSites should be well-organized, with intuitively labeled navigation.
• Relevant Coverage: The content on the GuideSite should relate to the site description.
• Good Formatting: Candidates should make use of the proper templates and format their content to be consistent with the rules outlined in the materials provided by About.com and the comments given by the Prep Mentor.
• Knowledge of the Topic: Candidates should display a deep understanding for the topics they are writing about.
• Ability to Write for Beginners: The vast majority of About.com visitors are beginners, looking for answers. The bulk of the candidate's content should speak to beginning visitors and all content should be accessible to beginners.