Creating a mind map

Charts and other visual organisers are attractive and motivate study both because of their layout, and because all extra language is replaced by colour and image mind-maps.

A mind map generally gives an overview of whatever is being learnt, and we know that this is a must in order to learn efficiently.

A mind map helps to create new information: Not only does it help you to organise ideas but also to think of new ones. To make a mind map, start by drawing a picture or writing your topic in the centre of a horizontal piece of blank paper, radiate five arms around it and think of a single word or picture for each of these five arms.

For example, if you have chosen 'family', you may radiate 'love', 'security', 'members', 'nuclear' and 'extended'. Then you would realise that love and security are what the family gives, so you may replace both with the word 'function', you would also realise that nuclear and extended could fall under type and to them you could add 'single-parent'. So you might opt for three arms with the keywords 'function', 'type' and 'history'.

From each of the arms you now draw two or three arms and again bring out keywords. You keep on extending outwards through association and opening up with supporting details.

Each of these branches is a natural paragraph, so to write out your topic, all you have to do is expand those keywords and link the paragraphs, adding an introduction and conclusion.

If you need to organise given information, you must do the reverse of the above. In the centre of the paper, write a word or draw a picture representing your topic. Look at your text and see whether it is already subdivided into the main areas being dealt with. Most text-books are organised that way. These become your first level of radiating arms. Read through each paragraph and pick two or three keywords which best explain what the paragraph is about. Open these in turn to express any other information you need to remember. Repeat for each of the arms.

Before you know it you have all the essential information found in a whole chapter on a single sheet of paper. Enhance this by giving each arm a separate colour, underlining the whole branch in a continual line, helping your brain to remember the connected information.