6.3 Step 4: Organize your naming conventions and files

Part of being organised is making sure that there is a decided naming convention for modules, pages, files, etc. Spending time doing this will ensure that your course stays clear, structured, and easy to navigate. This is useful not only for yourself making the course, or for the students, but also for anyone who might take over the course in the future.

It is tempting to upload files to Canvas or create pages without a plan, but it can quickly lead to a disorganised course. This makes it harder to find the right materials later and can cause confusion when linking content to modules or pages. Moreover, a well-organised file structure mirrors your course hierarchy, making it easier to manage content over time and ensure students see only what they need.

Once you have decided the kind of pages you want to include in your modules, you can decide on a naming convention. For example:

Table with examples of naming conventions
Type	Template	Example
Modules	Module X. Module title	Module 6 – Use of the LMS
Pages	Module X.X Topic Title	Module 6.2 Understanding sections and hierarchy
Files	Module X.X Topic Title – Activity X	Module 6.2 Understanding sections and hierarchy – Reading 1
Quizzes	Module X.X Topic Title – Quiz X	Module 6.2 Understanding sections and hierarchy – Quiz 2