Can't Convert Music to MP3

This one is driving me craaaazzzzy. I just bought my Mac a few weeks ago and just got around to importing my music into iTunes to eventually go into an iPod. I was trying to upload some songs to one of my Ning sites and it said I couldn't do it because they weren't MP3.

So I go into iTunes help and I was given the following instructions:

To convert a song's file format:

Choose iTunes > Preferences, click Advanced, and then click Importing.

In the Import Using pop-up menu, choose the format you want to convert songs to, and then click OK to save the settings.

Select one or more songs in your library, Option-click, and choose “Convert Selection to.”


So I dutifully do as I was told, and there is nothing in the Advanced that says anything about importing. I looked through the forum on the Apple site and somebody showed what it SHOULD look like, with General and Importing and something else. My Advanced Prefernces looks absolutely nothing like that. Can't find anything that says Importing anywhere. It just has some stuff about show iTunes folder location, the buffering, etc.

Someone suggested on a related topic to hold down Option and click the Preference option, but that doesn't work, either.

Am I missing something? I know I'm not the brightest bulb in the bunch when it comes to computers, but when I follow the instructions and it still doesn't work.....

Thanks for your help in advance,

GG

I am using iTunes 8, the latest version, and mine goes something like this...

Preferences>General.....at the bottom there is a section that says "When you insert a CD:"

Okay, to the right of that is a button that reads "Import Settings"

Click that button and select MP3. Then right click on the songs u want to convert and click "Create MP3 version".

Hope this helps.