On the top of your page you also have link to the setup section where you can generate the code that will need to be pasted on your website in order to have AdSense banners on your page.
You can use AdSense for text (the said ads), using a search box or with referrals. Your choice among these options depends on how users will navigate your site.
Finally, there is a “My Account” tab which allows you to set up details concerning your account, payment and tax information.
To add a text ad on your site, go back to the “AdSense Setup” tab and click the “AdSense for content” link. Make sure you have cookies enabled in your browser.
You can make a choice between ad units and link units. The former contain text and or images concerning a certain site for each unit, most with a detailed description, the latter only contain links to certain types.