Do you want to study in a more organised way or are you tired of the traditional note-taking method? Do you want to organise your thoughts and ideas in a more structured way? Well, in that case, Mind Maps are just for you.
What are Mind Maps?
Mind Maps are visual thinking tools that help us utilise our cognitive abilities to the maximum. These are used as a study aid to help us clarify our thoughts, structure information, simplify complex ideas, memorise information and also take notes efficiently. The use of diagrams that visually “map” information using branching and radial maps traces back to centuries although the term “mind map” was first popularized by Tony Buzan who was a popular British psychology author and television personality.
Why use Mind Maps to study?
You might be wondering why we need mind maps when the traditional note-taking method already exists. Well, mind maps or mind mapping can do just more than note-taking! Let’s see how useful mind maps are and how they can help you study better.
- Mind maps help you to learn and analyse new concepts, comprehend and generate new ideas in a better way.
- Using Mind Maps for studying can be great for students as the format of mind maps is made in such a way that it enhances the information recording and creative problem-solving ability which in turn helps to memorise things in a better way.
- You can use mind maps not only for taking notes but also for a lot of other things like planning, brainstorming, organising your ideas and information, stimulating creative thinking, studying, memorising and revising, researching and collecting information from multiple sources, presenting information, and breaking down large topics into manageable pieces, so that you can plan effectively without getting overwhelmed or forgetting something important.
- Mind Maps are not lengthy like conventional notes and often take up just one side of the paper.
- As opposed to conventional or linear notes, mind maps are visually more attractive which allows you to see how all the different ideas or concepts are connected in a better way.
How to create a mind map?
To create a mind map, you need to start with a specific topic or central idea and then follow these steps –
- You need to place the central theme or main idea in the centre of the page. Placing the page in landscape orientation might be helpful for drawing purposes.
- You need to draw lines/ arrows/ speech bubbles/ branches as ways of showing the connection between the central theme/main idea and the other ideas that stem out from that central idea. These branches are very important.
- As you go on brainstorming, you can go on adding more branches from the existing branches adding more information to the primary idea till the point of completion.
- The sub-branches will contain more detailed pointers or branches for overall understanding which will help you develop and elaborate on the overall theme of the mind map.
- Including images and sketches can make your mind map visually attractive.
A Mind Map pro tip –
Mind maps can be created either on paper or on a computer with mind mapping software such as Bubbl.us and MindMeister that allow us to edit as we create. Check out another mind map article here for more tips!
Conclusion
Now that you know how using mind maps for studying can be effective, we hope you’ll try them out! If you’d like to see how mind maps can be used in a subject/ topic, book a 1:1 session with us! Our teachers at Young Scholarz can help guide students towards grasping concepts better through mind maps.
