If you are looking for a way to make your system of study or memorization of concepts more effective, developing mind maps is one of the best tools you can use.
It is always much easier for the human brain to retain what it understands. That’s why using techniques like creating mind maps is a great way to help you remember ideas, concepts, details, and their interrelationships quickly and easily. To help you, you can use this mind mapping tool.
What is the mind map?
In a very summarized way, we can say that a mind map is a simple graphic representation of an idea or concept structured hierarchically based on a central idea. However, this simple representation has great cognitive potential.
Mind maps are graphs that schematically represent a central concept and its hierarchical correlation with other complementary ideas. This organized way of associating ideas is represented by keywords, images, drawings or colors that relate the different elements starting from a main idea.
We can also say that a mind map is a diagram that in a visual way helps to simplify the learning of an association of ideas. Using this method in conjunction with the usual note-taking system is like using a kind of “bird’s eye” that focuses attention on the main concepts of a topic or idea.
In essence they are bubbles joined together. They relate to each other and create subtopics that are organized and nested. They are common and fairly easy to do. They are seen often in business and science books. Think of mind maps as detailed, relational flowcharts.
The mind (brain) recognizes patterns that appeal to short-term memory:
Smelling cookies remind us of Christmas with the the cookies freshly made for our mother or grandmother. Each thought bubble on a mind map constitutes an idea that in turn leads to the active and other ideas related to it. Each sphere that we think of for a metal map creates a main idea that can lead to other related ideas.
Main features of mind maps:
– The main concept of the mind map is represented in the center, usually with an image.
– Secondary ideas associated with the main concept are structured around the central idea, usually in a radial fashion.
– Each secondary idea forms a branch that uses different colors to visually highlight each concept.
– The use of images and drawings are the key to the process to highlight these ideas.
– Concepts that are further from the central idea have less importance on the mind map.
– The creation of mind maps is in itself a very efficient study technique.
What are mind maps for?
Creating a mind map is a really effective learning system to help you remember information.
Mind maps help classify information visually. They are like graphic annotations that help to better convey the connection of ideas, favoring learning and transmission of thoughts.
But in addition to helping the learning and retention of the concept represented, it helps to motivate creativity and facilitates the beginning of the study process.
Lastly, the use of mind maps has many uses in the pedagogical and business sphere, but they also have other applications in the family and personal sphere. We can use them to take notes, make summaries, brainstorming sessions, mnemonic processes, and so on.