SharedPreferences.Editor editor = getSharedPreferences("saving", MODE_PRIVATE).edit();
 editor.putString("sort", "by name");
 editor.apply();

SharedPreferences prefs = getSharedPreferences("saving", MODE_PRIVATE);

  String sorting= prefs.getString("sort", "No name defined");//"No name defined" is the default value.

if (sorting.equals("by name")){
// do something
}