Mindmaps

			Mindmaps

	This is a very effective way of representing large amounts of information in an attractive, easily-remembered way. You may have used "spider diagrams" - which are very similar. Use a large sheet of plain paper, turned sideways. In the centre, write the name of the topic that you are going to revise - and add a simple illustration if you wish. Now draw lines like branches (radiating out from the centre) to represent the main sub-divisions of your chosen topic. Each of these can be illustrated or could be in a different colour - or a different kind of writing. In turn, each of these could sub-divide into several more sections. Continue adding more branches until all the main information is on your Mindmap. Your finished Mindmap could contain diagrams, names (and caricatures!) of important people, dates, places, etc. If it gets too crowded, you could do a separate Mindmap for that particular section.
	To make Mindmaps more memorable:
	Use doodles, pictures and diagrams	Use different colours	Use different styles of writing	Use humour (cartoons) etc.	Design your own (don't just copy other people's)
	The example below will help you see how a Mindmap is built. The following books are very useful: "The Mindmap Book" by Tony Buzan with Barry Buzan BBC Books ISBN 0 563 37101 3 "Accelerated Learning in Practice" by Alistair Smith Network Educational Press ISBN 1 855 39 048 5 Click here if you want to jump to the next Memory page (Body-pegs)
Write the title (or topic) in the centre of the page - and illustrate it.						This mind-map was intended for use on the PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL page of this website - so its topic is me. I used a brain as my central symbol because the name of the website is BRAINBOXX.
Draw "branches" to represent the main sub-divisions						I chose various aspects of my life as the "sub-divisions". These first branches are coloured red.
Sub-divide these to add more detail ...						The next layer of sub-divisions show more detail - and are coloured blue.
... and even more detail.						The green level shows even more detail.
Add pictures, diagrams and cartoons to make your map more memorable						My pictures may be simple but they add a certain "je ne sais quoi".
	Other Mindmap examples on this site Accelerated Learning "The Mucklewhites" (rhyme) If you are thinking of introducing Mindmapping into your classroom, see Teaching Mindmapping