The AP Course Audit utilizes a criterion-based professional judgment method of analysis within a nested multi-step review process. The overall goal of the methodology is to yield a final judgment on each syllabus that is ultimately valid. While reviewer consistency is an important consideration, the most important goal is to reach a final judgment on each syllabus that is accurate. The process is specifically designed to pay special attention to false negatives while simultaneously controlling for false positives. The review process employs multiple techniques and processes to help ensure that the ultimate decision reached on each individual syllabus is accurate and consistent. This is accomplished through two primary means: 1) a series of procedures to help maximize reviewer consistency, and 2) a nested review process by which each course's syllabus can be submitted up to three times and reviewed by up to seven independent reviewers (the most highly trained reviewers are used in the later cycles), with opportunities for corrective action at the end of each review cycle.