Naming Conventions

When creating an online course in Canvas LMS, using a clear and consistent naming convention for Pages, Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes helps improve course organization, ease of navigation, and accessibility for students. Here are some best practices for naming conventions:

General Naming Guidelines

• Keep names concise and descriptive (avoid unnecessary words).

• Use consistent formatting across modules.

• Include module numbers or topics for easy reference.

• Use keywords relevant to content.

• Ensure accessibility with simple, clear language.

Use a clear, logical, and student-oriented naming convention. For example, you could label all of the materials for the Week 5 module as “Week 5: Overview” or a discussion for the module as "Week 5 Discussion: Should AI be Used in Healthcare?” Labeling conventions make it considerably easier for you to populate modules and will make your gradebook easier to navigate.

While numbering items in modules is generally a best practice, it  can complicate things if you need to rearrange things in your course . Often this will require  renumbering things. One way to avoid this is to simply name things using  an abbrieviation of the module topic rather than the module number. So, for example, if module 5 deals primarily with AI in Healthcare, you may name the  materials as: "Healthcare AI: Overview" and "Healthcare AI Discussion: Should AI be Used in Healthcare?"

Some Best Practices for Naming Course Elements

1. Modules

Modules should be titled clearly to reflect the content and sequence. 

• Format: Week X: Topic Name or Module X: Topic Name
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Week 1: Introduction to Forensic Science
    
    

  • Module 3: DNA Analysis in Crime Investigation
    
    

2. Pages

Pages should indicate the content type and fit within the module structure. A module number or abbreviated module title can be used to preface each item in the module.

• Format: Module X - Page Title
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Module 2 - Crime Scene Investigation Basics
    
    

  • Week 5 - Fingerprint Classification Overview
    
    

3. Assignments

Assignment names should include module/week numbers, topic, and type (e.g., Lab, Essay, Reflection).

• Format: Module X - Assignment Type: Title
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Module 4 - Lab: Blood Spatter Analysis
    
    

  • Week 6 - Essay: Ethical Issues in Forensics
    
    

  • Module 7 - Reflection: Lessons from Real Cases
    
    

4. Discussions

Discussions should be descriptive and engaging while remaining structured.

• Format: Module X - Discussion: Topic
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Week 2 - Discussion: Forensic Evidence in Popular Media
    
    

  • Module 5 - Discussion: Role of Eyewitness Testimony
    
    

5. Quizzes & Exams

Quizzes should clearly indicate their purpose (e.g., formative, summative, review).

• Format: Module X - Quiz: Topic or Midterm/Final Exam
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Module 3 - Quiz: Crime Scene Processing
    
    

  • Week 8 - Midterm Exam
    
    

  • Final Exam - Comprehensive
    
    

Additional Tips

• Avoid special characters (e.g., #, &, *), which may cause technical issues.

• Use Title Case for clarity (capitalize major words).

• Be consistent across all course elements.

• Test student view to ensure clarity and ease of navigation.