And pens and paper are usually easy to get hold of and have no learning curve. Using a pen and paper to create a mind map appeals to the creative side of our brains, which is exactly what mind maps are designed to do. Why use a mind-mapping app rather than pen and paper? You can also use the thickness or color of branches to denote the strength of a link. Branches can span multiple sub-topics and can have text attached to provide further detail. And each of these sub-topics can be linked to further sub-topics. It can also be placed at the left-hand edge of the page, but that leaves fewer options for drawing branches.īranches are used to link ideas or topics and sub-topics. Usually, that central topic is written or drawn at the center of the page in big bold lettering. You start with a central topic or theme, which could be the title of a lecture or a topic you’re researching. However, whichever method you use, the principles are the same.
Mind maps can be drawn on paper or created in software.
Noteplan 3.0 how to#
How to take effective notes using mind maps Are easy to memorize thanks to images and color.Allow attaching more detail by adding notes.Are easy to read and provide an excellent overview of a topic.Clearly display relationships, hierarchies, and connections between ideas.Even better, because mind maps tend to be bright and colorful, they aid the learning process in a way that pages of written text don’t. Mind-mapping, on the other hand, allows information to be captured in a visual format that enables ideas to be connected, links made, and ideas sparked. It’s a method that’s simple to learn and reproduce, but one that usually ends up with pages of barely readable text and is extremely ineffective as a tool for learning or recalling information. Traditional methods for taking notes involve writing down strings of text in long or shorthand, underlining the important passages, and then scribbling on the margins when you need to add more detail.