by Beatrice Thomas
What is Mind Mapping
Mind Mapping is the representation of ideas and information in a visual form which the mind finds easier to visualise and remember. Images are located throughout the Mind Map with a larger central image or theme located at the centre of the Mind Map. Topics and subtopics are arranged around that central image.
Mind Maps are considered the most effective note taking technique. They provide the most effective way of organizing and arranging information. There are now a number of different Mind Mapping software tools available to facilitate the creation of Mind Maps.
The benefits of Mind Maps
Mind mapping is the most effective way of studying, generating new ideas, summarizing and organising information you want to recall. Mind maps can also facilitate creativity, problem solving, decision making and the generation of new ideas.
They are a great tool when revising for exams as they enable you to see how the different topics and concepts are associated and provide visual cues which are great for quickly reviewing a subject before an exam and recalling information that would normally be lost from your long term memory.
Revising for exams using Mind Maps
When revising for an exam it is best to determine what level of knowledge you have of that subject before you start. When you build upon that knowledge it will be easier to develop associations and connection from the knowledge you have already gained. Therefore create a Mind Map of what you already know. You may be surprised at how much you can recall.
First obtain a large sheet of paper or if you are using Mind Mapping Software draw or add a central image at the centre of the page. Make it stand out with colour. Then Create branches from that central image for the main subtopics related to that central topic. The main topics should be written in larger text and highlight the most important areas. Add sub-branches by creating more branches emanating from the main topics. These subtopics should contain more in depth information and keywords or short phrases summarizing key ideas that you can recall from memory. Try and see how the different sub-topics and elements are associated.
Linear note taking is monotonous and boring. The key information does not stand out, they take longer to write and do not provide a quick way of summarizing the important information needed for an exam. Mind Maps highlight the important information by placing it nearer the centre in larger writing with images that can quickly sum up a key idea or topic. Try and sum up information with a few words or even better 1 keyword or image. Use plenty of colour and images. Organize the information like this helps you to build associations and is very usefully when you want to recall information at a glance.
After you have recalled as much information as possible obtain the books that are most important for revision purposes. Flick through these books viewing the main chapter headings. Also take a look at the contents pages. Now speed read these books focusing in on the most important information and try and build upon what you already know. There is a common myth that speed reading significantly reduces comprehension and retention of information. Speed reading can actually increase retention of information as it enables you to gain a broader perspective of a subject or topic important for memory and can also help your mind piece together the information particularly when you come to read the information in more depth.
Prioritise those books that provide the most valuable information you require for passing the exam and read those books in depth.
Now add more detail to your Mind Map by adding branches and keywords and phrases after reading each category or section. These keywords or phrases should encapsulate the main ideas and sub-topics.
Continually recalling the information you have just read will go along way by itself in helping you store the information in your long term memory. It will enable you to determine if your mind is effectively recalling the information and if not to adjust your memorization methods.
As your knowledge of the subject grows your Mind Maps should grow and become more detailed. Areas of knowledge gained from books, lectures, videos etc should be added to your Mind Map and summed up in a few words. More branches will be created and move further from the central theme. A lot of useful information should now be stored in your Mind Map which will be useful for the exam. If your using Mind Mapping Software you should add notes providing more in depth information if needed.
As you approach the exam you should be able to recall in detail the knowledge gained by glancing at your detailed Mind Map which should now contain a detailed summary of your entire subject or topic.
The images will greatly assist in recalling information at a glance and the Mind Map itself will help you to see how all the elements and sub-topics are associated and ordered. Also you will not have to read through loads of notes to get to the key information.
The Mind remembers best when it can see a subject from a broader perspective and visualise how the different topics and sub-topics are associated and ordered. Combine this with the images which give the mind more mental hooks to latch onto you have the most effective method for learning and recall.
About the Author:
The writer of this article is a Mind Map researcher who has written a blog on creating Mind Maps and has researched a number of different
Mind Mapping Software products now on the market