Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer What to do if you really hate making mind maps

Well, since nobody's interested in answering my last post, how about this one. I absolutely hate doing mind maps. I have been presented with the idea before, but have never taken to it well. Furthermore, to mind map the kind of texts I have to study for the level one of the national medical board exams, I would essentially end up rewriting the book, since most of the reviews are in outline form or use lots of charts and figures. How do I get the most out of this kind of text without mind maps, or can someone figure a way to pursuade me that mind maps are fun?

For mindmapping you could try software... some people find that makes it more interesting. For techniques for drawing mindmaps I suggest searching the web. There are lots of sites that have adapted it you might find a style that suits you. In particular check out education/uni sites they often have an outline how to use mind maps for educational purposes.

I memorised codes for 54 offices and the bank codes and charts of account codes for various departments in about 2 hours using a memory system that replaced all the numbers with meaningful words.

In a case where I had to know a sequence of procedure ie step 1 to 20 I associated a memory peg with each step of the procedure. I aced that test 100% and that was before learning to photoread.

I don't know if I personally find mind maps fun (nope I don't yet) but I have to admit when I do draw them the stuff comes back to me a lot faster and a lot more meaningful. So if its something I want to know I don't argue with myself I just do it. Get it over and done with faster.

Alex

Are you using the psuedonumerology system?
http://www.pseudonumerology.com/

It's a neat little system. I can memorize phone numbers much easier now, plus I was able to memorize 200 digits of pi in about a day of on and off practice.

-Ramon http://razor.ramon.com

I personally don't believe you need to MM everything, especially if it's already in outline form or in graphical form.

I went to school where the majority of the lessons were taught on MM's and I hated it. I could not wrap my mind around it. I always ended up making my own linear notes from their MM's.

Recently I revisited the MM book and downloaded some software and realized that they weren't so bad afterall. It doesn't work for everything though (to me) and it can be time-consuming. It's worth it if it's a lot of concepts.

For me, learning bones & muscles was best done with 3x5 cards.

*shrug*

Tracey

Yes, I use a similar system of remembering numbers. Learnt it back in 1990. Noticed an interesting side effect too. While I didn't deliberately set out to memorise the chart of accounts (they changed the codes so often) I found I was memorising them anyway.

Anyway check out the web site I posted under "If you hate mind map... " there are a variety of note taking tecniques there. As well as advise how to prepare yourself for oral exams can be found there.

Good luck
Alex

CMAP software rocks for MM (concept maps).
It's free and the easiest to use.

Tracy,
Where did you go to school?

When you say you were taught w/ MMs, do you mean in high school?

thanks

Tracey--
Did you attend Eastern Michigan Universty?
Just wondering because they mainly taught in Mind Map form.

Tracey--

Did you attend Eastern Michigan University?

Just wondering because some of the instructors ( the ones I had, atleast) would teach their subject with Mind Maps.

jonah,
what was your educational experience as a result of being taught this way?

thanks