Mindmapping

A mind map is a diagram used to represent ideas, words, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualise, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid to studying and organising information, solving problems, making decisions, and writing. The elements of a given mind map are arranged intuitively according to the importance of the concepts, and are classified into branches or areas, with the goal of representing connexions between portions of information. Their visual basis helps you to distinguish words or ideas, often with colours and symbols. They generally take a hierarchical or tree branch format, with ideas branching into their subsections (WIKIPEDIA 2011).

By using mind maps, you can quickly identify and understand the structure of a subject, the relative importance of individual points, and the way in which facts relate to one another. You can see the way that pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts contained in normal notes. More than this, mind maps hold information in a format that your mind finds easy to remember and quick to review (MIND TOOLS 2011).

By presenting ideas in a radial, graphical, non-linear manner, mind maps encourage a brainstorming approach to planning and organisational tasks. They allow for greater creativity when recording ideas and information, as well as allowing the note-taker to associate words with visual representation. This orientation towards brainstorming encourages users to enumerate and connect concepts without a tendency to begin within a particular conceptual framework (WIKIPEDIA 2011).

Mind mapping can be done in groups (see group works) or on your own – sometimes it is even more effective, as you are not influenced by what other people may think of your ideas. You may not, however, develop ideas as fully when you do this on your own, as you do not have the wider experience of other members of a group to help you.

• Gathering ideas
• Analysing a topic
• Summarising information and note-taking
• Consolidating information from different sources
• Thinking through complex problems
• Presenting information in a format that shows the overall structure of your subject
• Preparing a presentation

(Adapted from FEWINGS 2011; MIND TOOLS 2011; WILLIAMS 1998)

• Start:Begin with a huge piece of paper and turn it sideways (into “landscape” orientation). This provides most space for writing (which tends to go from left-to-right rather than top-to-bottom). Try to write most of your words in a generally horizontal direction.
• Topic: Write the title of the subject you're exploring in the centre of a page, and draw a circle around it. Alternatively, you can draw an image that represents the main theme, which acts as the visual anchor for the topic. 
• Main-branches: Now search for important facts that relate to the subject. As you come across major subdivisions of the topic, draw “main-branches” for each of your main sub-themes, using different colours for each branch, and write the word along the branch. It may be helpful to brainstorm (see brainstorming) sub-themes and associated ideas before committing them to the map.
• Sub-branches: As you uncover another level of information (further subheadings, or facts) belonging to the subheadings above, draw these as lines linked to the subheading lines. Write the word along the sub-branch.
• Evaluation: If you are working with a group, discuss the mind map with the participants and evaluate the outcome. You may want to re-work your original mind map so that you get it “just right”.

Work on each of these branches systematically or jump about all over the place – but try to organise each new idea so that it connects with previous ideas. If ideas recur in different parts of the map, that’s OK (FEWINGS 2011). As you can imagine, mind maps can become complex but exciting revision tools which allow the participants (and you) to build up links between the main topics of the map.

(Adapted from MIND TOOLS 2011)

The following suggestions may help to increase the effectiveness of your mind maps:

• Use single words for information: Most words in normal writing are padding, as they ensure that facts are conveyed in the correct context, and in a format that is pleasant to read. In your own mind maps, single strong words can convey the same meaning more potently.
• Use colour to separate different ideas: This will help you to separate ideas where necessary. It also helps you to visualise the mind map for recall. Colour also helps to show the organisation of the subject.
• Use symbols and images: Where a symbol or picture means something to you, use it. Pictures can help you to remember information more effectively than words.
• Only use plat tip markers(thin tip markers are hard to read).
• Make the lines the same length as the word.
• Using cross-linkages: Information in one part of the mind map may relate to another part. Here you can draw in lines to show the cross-linkages. This helps you to see how one part of the subject affects another.

Mind mapping software can be used effectively to organise large amounts of information, combining spatial organisation, dynamic hierarchical structuring and node folding. Software packages can extend the concept of mind mapping by allowing individuals to map more than thoughts and ideas with information on their computers and the internet, like spreadsheets, documents, internet sites and images. Online-tools enable you to create mind maps directly on the internet in a collaborative working environment, where you can work together with colleagues irrespective of their geographical location.