Mind Maps

A Powerful Approach to Note-Taking (Also known as Mind Mapping, Concept Mapping, Spray iagra!s, and Spider iagra!s"
"Mind Map" is a trademark of the Buzan Organization (see www.buzan.com). We have no association with this organization. Record ideas memorab ! with "ames Mankte ow # $m! %ar son. &ave !ou ever studied a sub'ect or brainstormed an idea( on ! to find !ourse f with pages of information( but no c ear view of how it fits together) *his is where Mind Mapping can he p !ou. Mind Mapping is a usefu techni+ue that he ps !ou earn more effective !( improves the wa! that !ou record information( and supports and enhances creative prob em so ving. B! using Mind Maps( !ou can +uick ! identif! and understand the structure of a sub'ect. ,ou can see the wa! that pieces of information fit together( as we as recording the raw facts contained in norma notes. More than this( Mind Maps he p !ou remember information( as the! ho d it in a format that !our mind finds eas! to reca and +uick to review.

A#out Mind Maps

Mind Maps were popu arized b! author and consu tant( *on! Buzan. *he! use a twodimensiona structure( instead of the ist format conventiona ! used to take notes. Mind Maps are more compact than conventiona notes( often taking up one side of paper. *his he ps !ou to make associations easi !( and generate new ideas . .f !ou find out more information after !ou have drawn a Mind Map( then !ou can easi ! integrate it with itt e disruption. More than this( Mind Mapping he ps !ou break arge pro'ects or topics down into manageab e chunks( so that !ou can p an effective ! without getting overwhe med and without forgetting something important. $ good Mind Map shows the "shape" of the sub'ect( the re ative importance of individua points( and the wa! in which facts re ate to one another. *his means that the!/re ver! +uick to review( as !ou can often refresh information in !our mind 'ust b! g ancing at one. .n this wa!( the! can be effective mnemonics - remembering the

shape and structure of a Mind Map can give !ou the cues !ou need to remember the information within it. When created using co ors and images or drawings( a Mind Map can even resemb e a work of art0

$ses
Mind Maps are usefu for1

Brainstorming 2 individua !( and as a group. 3ummarizing information( and note taking. %onso idating information from different research sources. *hinking through comp e4 prob ems. 5resenting information in a format that shows the overa structure of !our sub'ect. 3tud!ing and memorizing information.

rawing %asic Mind Maps

*o draw a Mind Map( fo ow these steps1 6. Write the tit e of the sub'ect !ou/re e4p oring in the center of the page( and draw a circ e around it. *his is shown b! the circ e marked in figure 6( be ow. (Our simp e e4amp e shows someone brainstorming actions needed to de iver a successfu presentation.) &igure '

7. $s !ou come across ma'or subdivisions or subheadings of the topic (or important facts that re ate to the sub'ect) draw ines out from this circ e. 8abe these ines with these subdivisions or subheadings. (3ee figure 7( be ow.) &igure (

9. $s !ou "burrow" into the sub'ect and uncover another eve of information (further subheadings( or individua facts) be onging to the subheadings( draw these as ines inked to the subheading ines. *hese are shown in figure 9. &igure )

:. *hen( for individua facts or ideas( draw ines out from the appropriate heading ine and abe them. *hese are shown in ;igure :. &igure *

<. $s !ou come across new information( ink it in to the Mind Map appropriate !. $ comp ete Mind Map ma! have main topic ines radiating in a directions from the center. 3ub-topics and facts wi branch off these( ike branches and twigs from the trunk of a tree. ,ou don/t need to worr! about the structure !ou produce( as this wi evo ve of its own accord. Tip+ Whi e drawing Mind Maps b! hand is appropriate in man! cases( software too s and apps ike Bubb .us( Mind=enius( iMindMap( and Mind'et can improve the process b! he ping !ou to produce high +ua it! Mind Maps( which !ou can then easi ! edit or redraft. (% ick here for a fu ist of Mind Map software.)

$sing Mind Maps ,ffecti-ely

Once !ou understand how to take notes in Mind Map format( !ou can deve op !our own conventions for taking them further. *he fo owing suggestions can he p !ou draw impactfu Mind Maps1

$se Single .ords or Si!ple Phrases 2 Man! words in norma writing are padding( as the! ensure that facts are conve!ed in the correct conte4t( and in a format that is p easant to read. .n Mind Maps( sing e strong words and short( meaningfu phrases can conve! the same meaning more potent !. >4cess words 'ust c utter the Mind Map.

Print .ords 2 "oined up or indistinct writing is more difficu t to read.

$se Color to Separate ifferent /deas 2 *his wi he p !ou to separate ideas where necessar!. .t a so he ps !ou to visua ize the Mind Map for reca . %o or can he p to show the organization of the sub'ect. $se Sy!#ols and /!ages 2 5ictures can he p !ou to remember information more effective ! than words( so( where a s!mbo or picture means something to !ou( use it. (,ou can use photo ibraries ike i3tock5hoto to source images ine4pensive !.) $sing Cross-0inkages 2 .nformation in one part of a Mind Map ma! re ate to another part. &ere !ou can draw ines to show the cross- inkages. *his he ps !ou to see how one part of the sub'ect affects another.

1isual ,2a!ple
% ick on the thumbnai be ow for a great e4amp e of a Mind Map that has high visua impact1

3ey Points
Mind Mapping is an e4treme ! effective method of taking notes. ?ot on ! do Mind Maps show facts( the! a so show the overa structure of a sub'ect and the re ative importance of individua parts of it. *he! he p !ou to associate ideas( think creative !( and make connections that !ou might not otherwise make. Mind Maps are usefu for summarizing information( for conso idating arge chunks of information( for making connections( and for creative prob em so ving. *o use Mind Maps effective !( make sure !ou print !our words( use different co ors to add visua impact( and incorporate s!mbo s and images to further spur creative thinking. .f !ou do an! form of research or note taking( tr! e4perimenting with Mind Maps. ,ou/ ove using them0