Everyone who has gone through formal education has had to create an essay at one time or another. Essays are considered important by instructors since they help in assessing how much content about a subject has been absorbed by the learner, as well as finding out how individual facts are interconnected in the mind of the student. But not everyone knows how to create an essay the right way. Most people just start writing sentence after sentence – then they wonder why their instructor marks their essay as being “disorganized” or “haphazardly done.”
The Buzan Study Skills Handbook gives instructions on how to write an essay using a mind map. You could try using these steps when you are writing an essay at home or during an exam. First, make a mind map which encompasses the necessary sub-topics of your subject. Of course, it is understood that there should be a central image forming your central key idea – your subject. Then, pay attention to what the subject theme or question is demanding of you – this will give you ideas as to what the next branches of your mind map should be about. Each ‘tree branch’ or relationship of ideas is called a Basic Ordering Idea by Buzan. At this point, you may opt to free-associate as to what keywords (or sub-branches) you should attach to each Basic Ordering Idea. Using different colors will help you organize these details. Next, take some time to rest then re-examine your mind map – Do you need to re-organize it? Should you add or remove individual details or whole ‘tree branches’ altogether? Feel free to draw another version of your mind map, if necessary. Now you are ready to write the first draft of your essay, based on the way your mind map is organized. Make sure to write it fast, and don’t dawdle over any difficult portions – the important thing is to maintain the flow of thought. Then take another look at your mind map and do another draft of your essay – this time you can cross-references, add quotations or more facts if you feel this will make your essay richer, and change or add to your conclusions where needed. Now, what do you know? – You have just created an essay using a mind map!
Whether you are a student tasked with allocating time for a research paper, or an employee who has been delegated the job of estimating the schedule for a project, you can definitely benefit from the mind mapping technique when trying to estimate project time. How? Well, what is common between the two scenarios is that planning for a paper or a project will both require you to know the TASKS to be done and the TIME it will take for you to accomplish each task. The employee might differ from the student in that he will also have to figure out WHO has to do each task for the entire project as well. But mind mapping will still work anyway.
Let us take the first job which is figuring out what tasks have to be done. As usual, you start with a key central idea. If you are a student, this could be the main topic assigned to you by your instructor – like “The Differences between Monotheistic Religions of the World.” If you are an employee, this would be the project title – possibly “Installing a Computer Network for Company ABC.” Then, having put that down, you start free-associating on all possible ideas that the subject brings to mind. Bear in mind that at this point there is no right or wrong idea – you are simply trying to generate ideas.
After you have jotted down all the possible ideas that you can think of in the ‘tree branch’ where they belong, you are ready to create a list of tasks that have to be done. Each tree branch of ideas will help you narrow down the appropriate task that goes with it. For example, for “The Differences Between Monotheistic Religions of the World”, you might have written down “Judaism” and “Christianity”. Your task for “Judaism” then is to list all the features of that religion which make it monotheistic. Same goes for “Christianity” – you will also have to write down what are the traits of Christianity that would make you classify it as monotheistic. See how easy it is? You now have your first task. Each set of ideas that fall under each religion will help you decide which task comes next. You might disagree and say that determining the features of each religion should not be the first task – that is also possible. With mind mapping, remember that each person might think of different associations for each idea so it is possible that you could come up with a completely different set of tasks. It’s your call.
The next job at hand is to determine the time it will take you to finish each task. You do not have to be 100% precise at this, just give a ballpark figure as to how much time you need for every task. Obviously, not having done the task yet, you do not know the exact time you require. But giving a ballpark figure allows you to budget your time accordingly instead of being on “floating” status. It breaks the paralysis that comes when you panic and try to be 100% accurate at this stage.
Let us examine the case of “Installing a Computer Network for Company ABC.” If you listed the following tasks:
Ask for client’s specifications for computer network.
Canvass prices of appropriate personal computer models at computer stores.
Submit estimated cost of personal computers to client.
Then you may start estimating how much time each of these three tasks would require to be accomplished. The first one might just take one day of meetings with the client. The second one could take a little longer since you would have to talk with the sales representatives of computer stores about their personal computer models. The last one might also take you an entire day of meetings with the client since he would have to consider your proposal closely before coming to a decision. Note that each task might possibly require more time than you initially budgeted for it. So integrate “buffer time” into your estimate – adding more time to accomplish each task so you have leeway to work without the stress of an imminent deadline making your work harder.
The last job for the above employee is delegating each task to the appropriate person on the project team. For example, as far as “asking for client’s specifications for computer network” is concerned, that could be assigned to Employee X. “Canvassing prices of appropriate personal computer models at computer stores” would be designated as Employee Y’s job. And to “submit estimated cost of personal computers to client” – that might be given to Employee X to do. Another possibility is that one person could do all three jobs – you will have to figure out whether delegating the tasks would make the project proceed more efficiently or not.
Do you see now how mind mapping can help you at each stage of your work? At each stage, creating a mind map can bring out a host of ideas which would be applicable. After you produce your mind map, you can then list the relevant ideas using a linear method (i.e. as Task #1, Task #2, and Task #3.) When you have narrowed down the details of your work, you can then put the relevant ideas in the format appropriate for your work. If it is a research paper, use the format recommended or desired by your instructor. If it is a project estimate, there is also a format that would best appeal to the client.
Another application of mind maps is when they are used as presentations to groups. You will first of all find it easier to do research and prepare them using mind maps. And your audience will be able to follow your presentation closely and you will have an easier time making it because you can pace your speech, you can refer to the mind map when you wish, and you will find yourself more comfortable and relaxed.
Teachers can also use mind maps when educating students. New concepts can be defined with clarity. The instructor can also rely on mind maps for covering new material in lessons and courses. This is particularly applicable since there is an explosion of knowledge in the world – from books, magazines, newspapers, journals, and websites – which we may need to absorb quickly and accurately. Even the smartest person will find the tasks of absorbing, summarizing, and deciphering the meaning of all this information to be daunting without the proper techniques.
Mind Maps as Learning Tools
Of course, mind maps are popularly known as learning tools. You can use them to summarize the results of research, boost exam preparation efforts by improving recall, and allow you to review past material well since you are able to link ideas together while seeing the big picture. More specifically, mind maps are applicable for lifelong learning. This means you can use them whether you are in elementary, high school, or college as well as when you are trying to stay on track of your career by keeping track of developments in your field of specialization. Mind maps need not be devoted solely to serious pursuits either – you can use them in your leisure moments, such as when you are pursuing a hobby.
Mind mapping is great for brainstorming during meetings. Though each person can create a unique mind map, it is possible for groups to mind map together. In group mind mapping, each person is allowed to post sub-ideas to the key ideas of the group – no one is vetoed. In the end, this allows more associations to be formed about a central key idea. The agenda could be developed in the form of a mind map, while action ideas can be listed down separately – this immediately gives you a roster of things to do and minutes of the meeting. Leaders of organizations now realize that idea generation and management may be crucial for the survival of the group in today’s society.
Mind maps have been found to be applicable for brainstorming and visualizing ideas, as well as creating a structure for such concepts so they can be classified. The lines radiating out from a central key idea help to focus on the semantic relationship of the ideas (indicating the links between meanings of the words or symbols used.) Brainstorming is encouraged because the connections between ideas are displayed in a radial non-linear fashion as a diagram – this can be applied to all organizational tasks. A ‘tree branch’ of lines drawn in a segment of the paper indicates that the ideas presented are closely related to one another. The key advantage of a mind map is that memory recall becomes easier because the semantic connection between bits and pieces of information is graphically displayed in a uniform manner.
Group Mind Mapping
Similar to brainstorming, group mind mapping is often done during training workshops and seminars. It can be applied for strategic analysis, also known by the acronym S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.) It may be used in marketing for creating a marketing plan and product analysis; or generating creative ideas for promotional purposes; or combining analysis about markets and competitors. When determining an organization’s performance, group mind mapping can help in finding areas to cut costs or increase revenues, re-engineering a process or envisioning areas of improvement (whether this is at the level of departments, subsidiaries or entire organizations). Groups will also find it easier to come up with solutions to setbacks, particularly if they are quite complex problems.
The obvious advantage of group mind mapping is like that of collaborative writing – the group gets to harness the brain power of more than one person. This is why some computer software developers have come up with mind mapping software that accommodates the input of more than one user. They realize that, more often than not, employees of any kind of organization are going to have to put their heads together and work together on a project. Some computerized mind maps can be created individually, then shared with other people on the same computer network. Others allow different people to work together on the same mind map file.
Problem Resolution
Mind mapping is also useful for problem resolution since the readers are able to improve their understanding of the scope, background and nature of the problem. Problems can be resolved when participants are able to look closely at what facts, environments, assumptions and opinions contribute to its root causes. They may then try to come up with ways to reach an ideal solution which is effective, ecological and good in the long-term.
But even if you don’t have mind mapping software conveniently installed on your PC, group mind mapping can still be done. You could try using a very large whiteboard installed in your office conference room and pens of different colors. Or, if your office does not have a whiteboard handy, you could buy very large-sized blank manila paper and tape the corners to a wall. You could also use small post-it notes to attach ideas to the huge group mind map you are creating. These post-it notes are quite versatile; if you change your mind about where the idea on the post-it should go, you can easily remove and stick it somewhere else on the mind map.
Collaborative writing is another interesting use of mind mapping to help joint authors in their writing.
Collaborative writing has its advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantage is that when more than one mind is at work on an article, more than one person’s skills are brought to the project. Each person has his own unique point of view, experiences, and educational background, so this makes for a rich brew to dip into. However, the disadvantage of having more than one author for a book or article is that sparks can fly between the authors. Each person may believe he has ideas and a style of writing that is superior to that of the other/s. Writing, after all, is a highly personal journey into one’s mind – one person may resent the intrusiveness of having to collaborate with another person. Mind mapping can help in this regard, provided that each participant respects and trusts his partner or partners.
How can mind mapping help in a collaborative writing project? Simply put, each author can create an individual mind map to brainstorm for ideas. Afterwards, the partners can put their individual ideas together on a larger, more comprehensive mind map. There should be room for each author to voice his opinions so that this bigger mind map can encompass all their ideas. Since more ideas are produced this way (as opposed to having just one author brainstorming on his own), the project promises to be richer and more fulfilling. There are fewer disputes when the bigger mind map is finally viewed since each participant is able to see how another person’s ideas will complement his own. The final product will thus encompass everyone’s point of view without losing focus.
The mind map is not a plan but you can create a plan using a mind map. When you are developing a plan, make sure to group certain ‘tree branches’ together (it helps to number these too.) This guarantees that the steps of your plan are interrelated. Your vision and mission statement could be formed through mind mapping. This allows employees, investors, management, and customers to figure out the function of the organization, as well as their roles within the organization. This is especially true now that various kinds of thinking have been identified: analyzing, decision making, critical thinking, strategic thinking and creative thinking. It is important because organizations are now facing waves of change and innovation that produce new sets of problems – each of which is a challenge in itself for the organization to face – requiring that members of the organization possess a greater ability to comprehend, visualize, interpret and share concepts.
Planning has also become a challenge because our time and energy is limited. Mind mapping helps us improve on managing what time and energy we have more effectively. It also assists us in efforts to organize various aspects of our lives – we are able to start, then see projects through to the end.
All people have to take notes at some point in their life. Even a housewife is required to note down what she needs before she goes to the store for a shopping trip. More so for a white-collar worker who has to attend many seminars and conferences as part of his work. Whatever your occupation, note-taking is probably an indispensable aspect of your job.
Mind maps were initially created to aid learners who take down notes for school. So mind mapping definitely aids in note-taking. As far as learning is concerned, mind mapping should not be used because it is a “better” way of learning. It should be employed because it complements and enhances other learning methods. A college student who employs both mind maps and line-by-line note-taking is making the most of both styles of note-taking. (He might also choose to focus on mind maps alone if he feels that this style helps him retain more content in a more effective fashion.) An instructor who presents his lecture with the aid of a giant mind map is backing up his oral abilities with the effectiveness of a visual aid.
The skill of speed-reading came into being at the start of the 20th century. It became necessary because the influx of publications of every sort into the public consciousness made up a deluge of information that people found hard to cope with when they adhered to normal reading rates. So speed-reading was developed.
According to speed reading instructor Michael Tipper, most people who are not trained in speed-reading read at the speed of 200 words per minute. These same people believe that this is the normal pace they should be reading at because most of the people around them also maintain the same speed. Tipper states, though, that it is possible for most people to increase their reading speed to much faster rates – essentially to become speed readers, and even to eventually reach the ability to read 1000 words per minute. This is what he claims on his site at: http://www.michaelonspeedreading.com/. And he says he has the confidence to predict that because he has taught speed reading to over 70,000 people.
Now you may be wondering what speed reading has to do with mind mapping. Well, to start with, both tasks require you to use your eyes and your mind at the same time. When you learn to speed read, a speed reading machine will guide your eyes down the page at faster and faster rates until you reach your maximum reading speed. You are then required to take a quiz on what you just read to see how much information you have retained. Mind mapping can also be used by a speed reader to note down what information he can recall from what he just read. The difference between the quiz and the mind map is that the quiz takes a line-by-line format; the mind map, on the other hand, allows you to keep adding ideas that you recall from the reading material infinitely (at least, until you run out of paper to draw on) in ways that you prefer. A quiz asks for written words. A mind map lets you doodle and sketch in symbols for your ideas, if you believe that will help you recall and retain the information better.
If you learn to speed read, you will find that it will aid you in your mind mapping. You will absorb information at a faster rate – then you can use mind mapping as a complement to speed reading as a learning style. Drawing on a mind map may help you to express ideas you initially read as words at a faster clip. Not only will you comprehend information fast while speed reading, but you can check how much you actually retained in your mind by mind mapping. That’s how it works.
Reading fast does not necessarily mean you are doing speed-reading. You might be reading fast but not absorbing the information – your eyes are simply darting from word to word, but nothing is entering your head. A quick attempt at a mind map will reveal if this is true. Genuine speed reading means that you are able to pick up meaning along the way. Again, if you are practicing real speed-reading, you can test yourself with a mind map. For example, try mind mapping what you have just read in this document so far. Remember anything? That’s how you will know – through a mind map.
You may attempt to read faster by yourself if you motivate yourself to read two or more words at a glance and try to limit the number of times your eyes regress, look back over past words, or wander off to other sentences. You could also use a visual guide, or a pointer, to hasten the speed at which your eyes read words. Basically, a visual guide such as your own finger helps you to see just where you are in the sentence. Your finger acts as an accurate reference point for your eyes. Other visual guides commonly used are pens and pencils; some people like to use cards but the finger, pens and pencils are better because they allow you to focus on reading from left to right horizontally – a card just shows one line of words. To use a visual guide most effectively, keep its point trained just underneath the particular words you are reading. Move it along the sentence smoothly and regularly – this permits your eyes to select the right groups of words to look at. Speed-reading will occur when you practice moving the visual guide at speeds that go a little faster at every training session. In response, your mind will cope by concentrating more and improving its level of comprehension in tandem with the speed.
Tony Buzan also developed a speed reading technique, in addition to the mind mapping method. This technique is known as the Tony Buzan Mind Map Organic Study Technique. You start off by browsing through the reading material for around 10 minutes. This allows you to get an idea as to how the ideas are organized – if the reading material is a book, find out whether it employs summaries before each chapter, or graphics, descriptive headings, or lists to make the information easier to absorb. Next step (which should take around 5 minutes) is to apportion the time you will use to read each portion of the reading material – Buzan recommends breaking up your reading time into 20-50 minute segments, with a 10-minute break in between segments. Having browsed through the book, do a fast mind map (around two minutes) of what you understood. This allows you to keep the knowledge in context. The third step is to create a new mind map – this one will be about what questions you may have about the content, as well as your goals for reading in the first place. (Don’t take more than 10 minutes for this one.) This gives you an idea of when you have read enough of the material and should stop. Take note that at this point you have used around 30 minutes preparing to read the material. You might want to rest or stretch for 10 minutes more before proceeding.
Another thing you should observe is that you don’t need to follow the rest of these steps for every kind of reading material – we will indicate where each step is applicable. Now, the step known as Overview can be used for any kind of book because you will be looking for the major concepts of the book. Check out any tables, lists, bold-face material, graphics, pictures, and headlines which help you to find that out. You will observe again that this step alone will allow you to draw a central key idea, as well as the first level of sub-topic ‘tree branches’, for your third mind map. In fact, you might see that this is all that you really need and may want to stop here. If not, proceed to the next step which is called Preview. Here you will be required to practice selective reading – namely, which parts of the book are not clear to you after doing the Overview? You do Preview by perusing the first sentence of every paragraph as well as chapter summaries. This step allows you to spend time looking for information that is crucial to helping you understand the reading material. Then get your third mind map and add more ‘tree branches’ of information to it. The step Buzan dubbed Inview should be used only if there are difficult paragraphs, or portions, of books which you feel are necessary to your comprehension. This step requires you to simply read through the difficult parts which are stepping stones to your reading goals. If your reading goals don’t require it, do not do the Inview step. However, the step labeled Review is necessary for all types of reading material. This entails redrawing the mind map again – purely from memory this time. Yes, we know, this is your fourth mind map – be patient with yourself. Actually, you need to put this version of the mind map aside then attempt to draw a fifth version the following day. You are then asked to compare Version #5 with your original mind map – Are they the same? Are they barely similar? Which mind map is more thorough?
The very last step is mandatory if the reading material is very important to remember. You are required to draw a mind map of the same material after one week, another mind map after a month, and a last mind map after a year. It is further recommended that you share the information you learned with other people – this may even mean displaying your most recent mind map to them – so that you will reinforce the learning process.
Buzan also gives other tips that should help you in the task of speed-reading:
1) “Warm up” your eyes for the task of reading at high speeds by allowing them to take a quick glance throughout the reading material.
2) Make sure that the room you will be reading in is not too warm. The ideal is to maintain a slightly cool room temperature that hovers from 16 to 18 degrees Celsius (or 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.)
3) Though we all like pleasant surroundings to read in, don’t get too comfortable or you will fall asleep. Also, maintain a reading area that is free from clutter that could distract you from your reading.
4) If you will be reading over long periods of time, try to take breaks when you lift your eyes from looking at the surface of the page and instead examine far-away objects. This allows your eye muscles to relax and rest, preventing you from getting fatigued.
5) When you encounter something visually important (such as a graph, photograph, or a page of print text), you may halt your reading, shut your eyes, and try to visualize a mental reproduction of this important image. This tip will aid your recall and hone your powers of imagination.
6) Keep a good posture, neither rigid nor tense but relatively upright. Also, your eyes ought to be 15-24 inches away from the book.
Studying how to speed-read the right way will allow you to think faster while becoming more creative, take better notes (your mind map will prove this), find exams easier to take and pass, be more effective at studying, achieve higher reading speeds and comprehension levels, recall practically anything you need or want to remember, enhance the range of your vocabulary and intelligence, increase your visual perception, be mentally aware, shave off seconds, minutes, even hours from your total study time, and even eventually achieve reading speeds of over 1,000-words per minute to around 10,000-words per minute.
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