Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Mind Mapping (Pens?)

I bought a good bunch of markers a little while ago and have used them to do Mind Maps for school at home. When school starts up again, though, I will want to Mind Map for my notes in most subjects I think, because it seems to me that I could gain a lot of efficiency in learning this way. I sort of asked this before, but let me focus the question a little more. I have one of those four-in-one colored pens from BIC which I purchased at Office Depot. It's a multicolored ball-point pen, so naturally there is only one tip thickness and I was wondering how others have found this works with Mind Mapping? I would think that felt-tipped markers tend to be much-better suited to the job because you can vary the width by changing the writing angle. I could of course, emphasize elements of the Map by drawing over them multiple times, thereby increasing the thickness, but in a messier way than with the single swoop of a marker. Also, the pen is only black, red, green, and blue, and I am sort of under the impression that black is not so useful for Mind Maps because it so interesting/vibrant?

Using such a pen would be the most convenient way for me to take notes in-class, (also note that it would be on normal notebook paper) but would I be sacrificing a lot of the benefits of a Mind Map by using a point of unchangable width and only those colors? I am a guy attending high school, so using a bunch of colorful markers in-class probably isn't the best idea! Maybe sneaking a highlighter or a marker or two into the mix would be a useful idea? Or does it sound like I ought to just use the BIC pen and re-mind map in markers when I get home which would also serve to reinforce the material in my mind? Is there anyone else here in my situation who has come up with a good, creative solution?
Thanks!

-Cameron

Scratching over lines to put emphasis on them is going to be a waste of time in motion.

Since the mind map is a clock work approach you could use the different coloured pens to signify different emphasis. Red core concept, Blue sub heads, main ideas relating to the core concept, black for further branches and green for by - lines. Along with nice symbols you have a workable option for using ordinary pens. In anycase good mind maps can be done with just one colour. Later review you can put in markers of different colours to group ideas (drawing shapes around the complete 'heading and it's branches).

Have a look at felt tip writing pens of the style used for overhead projectors when you angle them some more you get a bit more play on their lines. The come from the faber Castell range and are actually required in some schools over pens.

You could also look at a small good quality set of coloured pencils. I've managed to create some interesting mind maps with pencils even though they are not going to scan that well they do serve the purpose for notes.

I've used gel pens to as well as the humble blue or black pen to create something a drunk spider would be proud of. It serves the purpose. I just glance at the words and connecting lines and I have a trigger for remembering the notes so looks isn't everything. Being involved with the process is a good chunk of the work.

Alex

That is the same pen I use for mind maps, but if the material is critical for me I will break down and do a mind map with my colored pencils and lots of pictures. I mostly use my BIC 4-color. I have found that if I can actually get myself to do a mind map that is better than not. I am not in school either though.

Best of Luck
Fritz

Haha, AlexK! A drunken spider :-D I think you're right. Some sort of color coding relating to branch depth would definitely help me to get the most out of the four colors. Too bad they don't make another one with different colors too... For sure I'll continue to either revise or redo Mind Maps at home whenever I need to. I guess the reason I was unsure about using the pens is that Tony Buzan seems to be so emphatic about what are NOT Mind Maps -- that they must have FLOW and different THICKNESS for branches of different importance, etc. Maybe he got too idealisitic in his book for some practical circumstances?

I agree, Fritz. Near the end of the semester I was starting to make Mind Maps with only pencil or maybe pencil, blue, and black pen. It was far better (and more fun!) than my old linear notetaking methods -- it just felt better -- like I was really absorbing the material in a better way. It is helpful especially because it allows you to truly see the whole picture always, and not jot down useless details.

Thanks for the quick suggestions so far!
-Cameron

I have to admit when I was going through the six week intensive course (normally 1 year full time) I just got out my A3 artist sketch pad picked 8 markers. Planted them and the arch lever file on my dest and while the folks were yaking, mind mapped. I actually did it as an experiment to see the reaction of the class and instructors. Discovered they were bemused for the first day or so and just accepted it. They probably felt that it was unnecessary but it was handy having this habit when the guest speakers were poor and barely covered information we already went over. I had a nice sized doodle pad and they thought I was mind mapping :P It also served for me to point out who explained what when and the mind maps are all in one book.

Oh and markers are quieter than click pens for swapping colours.

Alex

Quieter, yes. But quite conspicuous as you do not deny For sure if I were doing an intensive course like the couple week college-level logic course I took @ Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development program, I would definitely just bring the markers and let the others adjust. However, for course such as those I am taking this year, which go at of a more conventional speed, I'm thinking it wouldn't really be worth it to do fancy Mind Maps in class, and that I actually would probably benefit more from reviewing/redoing Maps at home in order to reinforce the material. This shouldn't take too long per subject, and it's a sure way to make sure I have absorbed & understood everything.

We'll see how it works when classes start up again Tuesday, but I don't think doing the marker/doodle-pad thing in class would work too well. Teachers would probably misunderstand it at first, and I'm sure my peers would find creative ways to turn it into a girly thing to be made fun of! In fact, some time in the past, I might have joined in making fun of such an obviously unconventional technique. Reading at a page per second looks a little more normal ;-) The clicking, they'll just have to get used to. But I just don't think I can turn it into a marker fest overnight and expect to live to tell the tail ;-)

Anyhow, I'll start with the 4-color pens and tell you how it goes It's an interesting dilema, and I hope I'm not being overly and unrealistically self-conscious. But hey, I'm already different from everyone else. No need to shove it in their face if it would make them feel uncomfortable and me too as a a result ;-)

-Cameron

I also have noticed that there are bigger multiple colored pens available at art shops. I think they have 20 different colors in them. They are very wide in diameter.

I might get one of these as well.

I just want to say I love mind maps! At the end of semester, it makes studying for finals so much easier.

I am one of the most disorganized people in the world, and actively redressing my challenges. Mind maps is a good start.

I had one of those and quickly tossed it half the inks didn't flow and downright annoying when I came across a dead one when I was in a hurry. The barrel also cracked rather quickly. Haven't seen them since so I don't think they gained much popularity here.

Alex