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Hi,

I would like to ask a question about mind mapping. Paul mentions in his book that you should mind map all your lectures and then put them all into one mind map after class.

What I want to know is, what level of detail should I go into when mind mapping lectures? The reason is that often it is possible to mind map EVERY detail but this does not help very much in the end. But then, how much is enough?

Also, I find it hard to mind map. I do abstract subjects that deal with topics such as modernism and philosophical arguments. I don't know how to mind map just using 3 or less words -- logical arguments don't allow for that! What is hard for me is to find the 'main topic' -- it seems that often certain concepts cold fit under several catagories, or perhaps under just one large one (for example, 'the impact of modernity' has something like 10-15 sub-topics -- too big?)

Thanks,

--Kenneth

I think anything can be MMed. Tony & his brother, especially his brother, were into some complicated things.

First thing is: Have you worked w/ MMing at all? If you have then have you done some trouble-shooting w/ it? You raise questions, but getting your feet wet is more important.

Secondly, have you read some books on MMing? I have the Buzan The Mind Map Book, Nancy Margulies & Joyce Wycoff books also. Each has something to add to round us off. I like them all for different reasons.

You need large paper. I use printer paper that is all connected. I take 2 sheets at a time & turn them sideways. I use different colors of pens along w/ magic markers. The Nancy Margulies book, Mapping Inner Space helped me w/ opening my right brain w/ drawing stuff. She has given some attention to this aspect. The more that can be drawn, the more you'll remember.

I've been MMing for a few yrs. now & it is definitely worth the effort to learn. If anything, opening the right side to the flow of it all is what holds us up.

When you review, is the pay-dirt of it all. Reviewing is fun, goes quickly, makes connections, gives the big picture. I might have 6 MMs & when i review, i'll end up w/ 1 sheet that has it all right there in front of me.

Good luck. IMHO nothing is too complicated to MM. It's just an attitude that is rooted in the left side brain orientation. Try MMing something like your goals or your educational focus for practice. Listen to relaxing music, Baroque or something like that, when you do it. Get relaxed & use plenty of colors & just let it flow.

Then when you feel comfortable w/ this skill, you'll be amazed at how it will allow you to grasp insights into lectures & jot them down quickly w/o skipping a beat w/ all the other info.

[This message has been edited by Margaret (edited March 29, 2001).]

I agree. Those are all great books. The Margulies book is interesting in that she provides ideas for symbols and shortcuts to use on mind maps.

One of the first obstacles is to realize that you don't need to record as much on the MM as you think. Since MMing is an active process, you're thinking about things more than you tend to while writing notes. I'm sure there are things that need to be recorded in toto but in many cases, you're establishing connections while MMing that will come back to you later. As practice, try MMing some notes you've already taken. Do it several times until you're happy with your results, then carry that forward.

Although i havn't gotten my hands on any mind mapping books yet, i can tell you this any lecture notes can be mind mapped, no matter if its mathematics, philosophy, law, history, english......etc anything.

The main thing to it is just to give your topic a sense of linkage. The human mind works best/ remembers best when something is in order or when something is linked.

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I have the Margulies book, and have also read the Mind Map book by Buzan. I think I need more practice, or rather, have more confidence with it for I feel often that I don't have it 'perfect'.

Sometimes I am unsure how to summarize a logical argument of an author in a short space -- perhaps pictures will help(?). And I have this problem with HIERARCHY -- for instance, when do you know when to take a new MAIN TOPIC branch? Sometimes I find all the branches going under one topic only, and some topics are just very small. Should a mindmap resemble (at least in structure) that of a logical outline
1.
a)
b)
2.
a)
b)
i)
ii)

and so on?

Also, during the lecture, it seems that is it is too hard to keep changing colours/pens so I instead just use one pen. Then I will review it. What I was getting at was that I don't want too much detail becuase I want to be able to see the MAIN points and memorize those so that when the test comes up I won't have to wade through a stack of information.

You see, I tried mind mapping last year but I found that often I couldn't locate the main points, or often it would end up in a mess. Perhaps, I thought, I am trying to get too much detail into it and not searching out the BIG ideas. Also, it took AGES for me to re-do my mind map.

But I'll stick with it. I'll check out the Mapping Inner Space book again.

--Kenneth

If you REALLY need the hierarchy, you can number the branches. Or, you can have a keyword for the logical argument with each element a sub-branch of that branch. Otherwise, why worry about it so much? You can link a subject to multiple branches, too. That's one of the beauties of it. You can establish links that the people taking linear notes may not even see.

As far as color, you could always apply color after the class as you're going over the MM. That would give you the opportunity to determine how best to use the color to show the relationships you're seeing.

Hi Kenneth,

some tips on MindMapping I worked with in my own studies:

- When in doubt, take the title of the course as the main topic.

- If a sub-topic starts too many branches, start a new MindMap with the former sub-topic as the main topic.

- Only use the wording of the lecturer/book if absolutely necessary – or if it is consistent with your or own wording.

- Adding little pictures/icons to a topic can be a) fun and b) brings you to thinking more deeply about the topic because you’re looking for a way to visualize it.

- Take as few notes as possible.

- Use different types of branches for different things. The standard „curved line“ for, well standard issues and/or structure, „boxes“ for definitions, „circles“ for key phrases.

- Two different ways to colour your MindMap:
a) Use always the same colour for the same structure leve (e.g. black for main topic and first level branches, blue for the second level, green for the third, pink for defninitions, violet for comments, grey for links between different branches).
b) Use a different colour scheme for for each branch, e.g. all kinds of blue for one, all kinds of red for another.

- Links between branches could be one-way or two-way arrows, straigth or dottted lines etc. Just come up with your own legend to what what means.

- For longer sequences of arguments or quotations, you can use a system like footnotes. For example, you can turn your exercise book by 90 degrees, use the upper sheet for a MindMap and the lower for normal writing, lists, graphics, ...

- For things like mathematics and informations sciences, I used an alternative to MindMapping:
Again rotate your exercise book by 90 degrees so that you have an upper an lower sheet. Divide both upper and lower page by a line in the middle. Do this with some pages to follow. Now, you have two long columns on your sheets. On the left, write down what your lecturer writes/draws/projects; on the right, write down what your lecturer says. You can also add your own thoughts in the right column. And, this is important, take care to make the columns fit together! If your lecturer just writes one sentence and then goes on to talk for an hour about it, and then writes a second sentence, leave a blank space under the first senctence until the end of the commentary/notes on the right side. This really should look like a table in your word processor or something like that.

- A friend of mine used to jot down any unusual things happening during the lesson, like people falling from their chairs, the lecturer telling a joke etc. This notes helped him to recall the specific lesson better.

Hope this helps,

Jens

[This message has been edited by Jens (edited April 02, 2001).]