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Mind map

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A mind map or mindmap is a generic term used to describe a pictorial representation of a mental model or cognitive map. The form of the map can involve colour or monochrome images, words, and lines, and can be arranged intuitively according to the spatial arrangement of concepts in the mind, or be organized into groupings, branches, or areas.

The mind map has been used for centuries, for learning, brainstorming, memory, visual thinking, and problem solving by educators, engineers, psychologists and people in general.

OR

A mind mapTM is a multicoloured and image centered radial diagram that represents semantic or other connections between portions of learned material. For example, it can graphically illustrate the structure of government institutions in a state. Once a mind map is well-structured and well-established, it can be subject to review (e.g. with spaced repetition). The uniform graphic formulation of the semantic structure of knowledge may help reconsolidation of memories and it is sometimes advertised as a way of increasing motivation to work on a task.

File:Mind Mapping.JPG
Example of a mindmap

Origins

People have been using image centred radial graphic organizers referred to variably as mental or mind maps for centuries in areas such as engineering, psychology, and education, although the claim to the origin of the mind map has been made by a British popular psychology author, Tony Buzan. He claimed the idea started forming as he wrote An Encyclopedia of the Brain and Its Use in 1971. He argues that 'traditional' articles rely on the reader to scan left to right and top to bottom, whilst what actually happens is that the brain will scan the entire page in a non-linear fashion. He also uses popular assumptions about the cerebral hemispheres in order to promote the exclusive use of mind mapping over other forms of note making.

The use of the term "Mind Maps" is trade-marked by The Buzan Organisation, Ltd. in the UK [1] and the USA [2], though the trade-mark does not appear in the records of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office [3].

The structure of a mind map has a similar but simplified radial structure compared to that of the earlier original concept map, which was developed by learning experts in the 1960s.

Uses of Mind MapsTM

A hand-drawn mind map
Rough mindmap notes taken during a course session

Tony Buzan claims that the mind mapTM has many applications in personal, family, educational, and business situations, including note-taking, a modified variant of brainstorming (ideas are judged and put into an organized structure as opposed to the classical brainstorming where judgement is reserved for later stages), summarizing, revising and general clarifying of thoughts. For example, one could listen to a lecture and take down notes using mind maps for the most important points or keywords. One can also use mind mapsTM as a mnemonic technique or to sort out a complicated idea. Mind maps are also promoted as a way to collaborate in colour pen creativity sessions. Some of the literature around mind-mapping has made claims that one can find the perfect lover, combat bullying, persuade clients, develop intuitive powers, create global harmony, and tap the deeper levels of consciousness by using mind mapTM techniques.

Claims have also been made, including in some advertising for mindmapTM software and literature, that managers and students have said that they find the techniques of mind mapping to be useful, being better able to retain information and ideas than by using traditional 'linear' note taking methods.

MindmapsTM can be drawn by hand, either as 'rough notes', for example, during a lecture or meeting, or can be more sophisticated in quality. Examples of both are illustrated. There are also a number of software packages available for producing mind maps (see below).

Mind mapTM guidelines

These are the foundation structures of a Mind Map, although these are open to free interpretation by the individual:

  1. Start in the centre with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colours.
  2. Use images, symbols, codes and dimensions throughout your Mind Map.
  3. Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.
  4. Each word/image must be alone and sitting on its own line.
  5. The lines must be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker, organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they radiate out from the centre.
  6. Make the lines the same length as the word/image.
  7. Use colours – your own code – throughout the Mind Map.
  8. Develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping.
  9. Use emphasis and show associations in your Mind Map.
  10. Keep the Mind Map clear by using Radiant hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

(See: BUZAN, Tony. The Mind Map Book. Chapter "Mind Mapping Guidelines").

Scholarly research on mind mapsTM

Buzan (1991) claims that the mind mapTM is a vastly superior note taking method because it does not lead to the alleged "semi-hypnotic trance" state induced by the other note forms. Buzan also claims that the mind mapTM utilizes the full range of left and right human cortical skills, balances the brain, taps into the 99% of your unused mental potential, and taps into your intuition (which he calls "superlogic"). There has been research conducted on the technique which suggests that such claims may actually be marketing hype based on urban myths about the brain and the cerebral hemispheres.

There are benefits to be gained by applying a wide range of graphic organizers, and it follows that the mind mapTM specifically, is limited to only a few learning tasks. Research by Farrand, Hussain, and Hennessy (2002) found that the mind mapTM technique had a limited but significant impact on recall only, in undergraduate students (a 10% increase over baseline for a 600-word text only) as compared to preferred study methods (a −6% increase over baseline). This improvement was only robust after a week for those in the mind map group, and there was a significant decrease in motivation compared to the subjects' preferred methods of note taking. They suggested that learners preferred to use other methods because mind mapping was an unfamiliar technique, and its status as a "memory enhancing" technique engendered reluctance to apply it. Pressley, VanEtten, Yokoi, Freebern, and VanMeter (1998) found that learners tended to learn far better by focusing on the content of learning material rather than worrying over any one particular form of note-making. Indeed, applying the range of college techniques that Buzan (1991) dismisses leads to more than 40% increase in learning (Novak 1993) compared to the mind mapTM.

To date, there is no empirical evidence to support claims that mind mapsTM can balance or make better use of each cerebral hemisphere in comparison with any other mental activity.

Tools

Software ranging from freeware to high-level commercial applications or free software (open source) have implemented mind mapping.

These tools can be used effectively to organise large amounts of information, combining spatial organisation, dynamic hierarchical structuring and node folding.

Mind mapping in contrast with concept mapping

The mind mapTM can be contrasted with the similar idea of concept mapping. The former is restricted to radial hierarchies and tree structures, whereas concept maps allow for a greater range of connections between concepts. Concept maps also encourage one to label the connections one makes between nodes which has been found to enhance meaningful learning while enabeling the potential as a true cognitive, intuitive, spatial and metaphorical mapping rather than just outline hierarchies.

See also

References

  • Buzan, T. (1991). The Mind Map Book . New York: Penguin.
  • Farrand P, Hussain F, Hennessy E. Med Educ. (2002) "The efficacy of the 'mind map' study technique". May;36(5):426-31. EBSCOHost. Retrieved May 5th, 2005.
  • Novak, J. D. (1993). How do we learn our lesson? : Taking students through the process. The Science Teacher, 60(3), 50-55.
  • Pressley, M., VanEtten, S., Yokoi, L., Freebern, G., & VanMeter, P. (1998). "The metacognition of college studentship: A grounded theory approach". In: D. J. Hacker, J. Dunlosky, & A. C. Graesser (Eds.), Metacognition in Theory and Practice (pp. 347-367). Mahwah NJ: Erlbaum.
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