random ordering a list in excel

[zhen]

Hi, everyone

I am now facing a problem of random ordering a list of sentences in
excel, I will be appreciate if anyone here can help me out.

The context is as this:

I have a list of sentences, from 1 to 200, each two of them are in
pair, thus, the 1st sentence belongs to class 1 and 2nd sentence
belongs to class 2, the 3rd sentence belongs to class 1, and the 4th
sentence belongs to class 2 and so on....(sentences with an odd
numbering belongs to class 1 and sentences with an even numbering
belongs to class 2).

My problem is that, I need to ask some people to classify these
sentences, but I do not want them to find out that, after several
pairs, they know already that the first sentence in the pair belongs
to class 1 and the second one belongs to class 2. Thus I need to
randomize the order of the sentences in the pair, say, in some pairs,
the order of the two sentences is reversed, and the pairs are randomly
choose. (So the people will not find out any rules)

After the person has done, I need to order the sentence into the
original ordering, together with the classification from the person,
thus I can know what will be the answer from the person.

I would be appreciate if anyone can tell me how to realize this? What
kind of functions should I use and how?

Many thanks in advance and hope to hear from you all......

 

[David Biddulph]

Use a helper column with the formula =INT((ROW()+1)/2)+RAND() (assuming that
the first entry is in row 1) and sort both columns by the helper column.
Remember to save the original version beforehand, so that you can go back
if you need to.

 

[Pete_UK]

Further to David's suggestion, before you sort use another helper
column filled with a simple sequence 1, 2, 3, 4 etc and include this
in your sort range on the random column. This will enable you to sort
the sentences back into the original order when you are done.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[David Biddulph]

But you'd probably want to hide that column, or else it might give your
victims a clue as to the answer.
--
David Biddulph

Further to David's suggestion, before you sort use another helper
column filled with a simple sequence 1, 2, 3, 4 etc and include this
in your sort range on the random column. This will enable you to sort
the sentences back into the original order when you are done.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[zhen]

Hi, everyone

I am now facing a problem of random ordering a list of sentences in
excel, I will be appreciate if anyone here can help me out.

The context is as this:

I have a list of sentences, from 1 to 200, each two of them are in
pair, thus, the 1st sentence belongs to class 1 and 2nd sentence
belongs to class 2, the 3rd sentence belongs to class 1, and the 4th
sentence belongs to class 2 and so on....(sentences with an odd
numbering belongs to class 1 and sentences with an even numbering
belongs to class 2).

My problem is that, I need to ask some people to classify these
sentences, but I do not want them to find out that, after several
pairs, they know already that the first sentence in the pair belongs
to class 1 and the second one belongs to class 2. Thus I need to
randomize the order of the sentences in the pair, say, in some pairs,
the order of the two sentences is reversed, and the pairs are randomly
choose. (So the people will not find out any rules)

After the person has done, I need to order the sentence into the
original ordering, together with the classification from the person,
thus I can know what will be the answer from the person.

I would be appreciate if anyone can tell me how to realize this? What
kind of functions should I use and how?

Many thanks in advance and hope to hear from you all......

Thank you guys, really helpful!