Effective Mindmapping and Learn the Mindmapping Tips

What is mindmapping? How to make a mindmap? What are the benefits of mindmapping? For the uninitiated, mindmapping is a tool or diagram that is used to represent ideas, tasks, words or any other items that is linked and arranged around an original idea or a word. IF you are looking for aid that you can use for study, for decision making, for problem solving, then mindmapping is often used to generate, structure and classify ideas. Some even go on to say that using effective mindmapping process, an invention can be born.

And so the next question will be, how do you make an effective mindmap. The idea of effective mindmapping is to use normal paper and using several color pens, this would make the ideas stand out and do not look boring. Let us see how this can be done, Here are some mindmapping tips.

1. Use one A4 size paper and make sure it is a plain paper. Turn your paper to landscape.

2 Draw a word or idea, this being the starting or core word/idea, using at least 3 colors. Make it into a picture. As you may probably knows that a picture speaks a thousand words.

3. Start to generate ideas or words that would link to your starting word/idea. The trick here is to start writing what comes to your mind. This is important as often, brilliant ideas come in an instant. Use branches to link up the starting word/idea using key words or images.

4. By now, you would have plenty of branches that start to spread out from your starting word/idea. Now begin to add details with more key words and using color pens throughout. The idea is to make your plain paper look as beautiful as possible.

5. Remember to write your words clearly and only use one word per line.

6. And if you have more ideas, linked them together using arrows.

7. Finally, when you are finished with your piece of art(ideas!), you have to start carefully study all the connections that you had made between your ideas. Try to relate them and make sure they make sense to you.

When you are done, you will be looking at a piece of colorful paper with loads of words/ideas.


Mindmapping tips

Do not get stuck in one area. Let you ideas flow by itself. If you find that some of your branches start to make less sense, do not despair. Simply return to your starting word/idea and work your way out again.

You may need to add more paper to contain all your ideas. Do not get stingy with paper! Attach more paper if needed.

Your paper may be filled with many branches. It would be wise to use one color for one branch and the other branch, different color. This would make your paper more readable.

Of course, as mentioned before, picture speaks a thousand. Let your creativity flow with pictures that can represent words.

How to Outline your Book and Chapters with Mindmapping

Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and relativity in writing their book. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mindmap easily. Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

What is Mindmapping?

Mindmapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to the center. In the center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.

For "The One-Minute Sales Person", Spencer's mindmap would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details can be put on connected horizontal branches--much easier to read.

What are the advantages of Mindmapping?

First, a mindmap is open-ended and open-minded. No more squeezing new "ahas" or ideas into the strict, tight form of the linear outline. You can make mistakes in your mindmaps. Imperfection leads to creativity. When you get an idea for chapter one, you can just add another branch off the main one. Mindmapping expands flexible thinking, making for better writing.

Second, mindmaps use only three to five concrete or color words on a branch. These key words help jog our memory. Under Chapter One "Attracting Passion," I added several horizontal lines that represented the format that follows. One line had "opening quote," the next one "introduction," the next one "Jerry's Story," the next "Food for Thought and Action," the next, "Passion Hot Line," the last line, "practice."

Third, mindmaps speed up your writing because you only write key phrases. When you sit down at the computer, from your color-coded map, the answers will flow naturally. If you need to fatten up your chapter, just go to your chapter file folders where you keep your research.

Fourth, in mindmaps you see the whole related to the parts. Your thesis, chapter titles, and chapter contents all flow because you answered each question your readers had. This fast-forward technique allows me to write at least two or three books each year, and makes each book more organized, more focused and clear, easier to read, and finally brings more sales because people can understand the information quickly and easily.

How Do I Create My Mindmap?

Use a large sheet of paper, at least 8 ½ by 11 inches, but I recommend a large square of butcher paper or poster board, so you can spread out and enjoy the process! Have at least six or seven colored felt-tip pens in primary and bright colors ready.

In the center, encircle your title. Arrange your chapter headings, each on a different colored vertical branch, around the center in any order (you can number them later). If you can't think of a title, put a few key words. Use only one color per branch. Off each main branch, put five or so other horizontal branches of particular chapter parts.

Even though you later change your mind about the contents, this initial mindmap gives you the overall picture of what your book is and what it will share with its readers. I made several mindmaps of my Passion book before I settled on the best information to include.

For the colored mindmapping example, go to
http://www.bookcoaching.com/graphics/MINDMAP.JPG.

Practice: Create your book's mindmap on a separate piece of paper

Practice: Create one chapter's mindmap on a separate piece of paper now.

Wow! You are up to speed. You have your thesis--what challenge your book will solve, your chapter working titles, your rough draft evolving with a Table of Contents, and you have questions to answer in each chapter.

Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

Judy Cullins ©2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com

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Creating a "Mind Map Made Simple" for Parents, Students and Elementary School Teachers?

Using a mind maps has become very popular in education, business and government. The methodology used in mind mapping is something that everyone can use. Using mind mapping as a tool for learning makes sense and it is a much better way to learn than simply rote memorization. Many of the mind maps that we see are rather complicated for a third grader in elementary school.

However, we should be using mind mapping at a much earlier age so that the students can get the methodology down and understand some of the philosophy behind it as they start learning in school. This will help them throughout their education. Is it possible to make a mind map much simpler than the ones we see produced by educators?

I believe it is and I believe that we should make mind mapping simple for parents, students and elementary school teachers and provide material that they can use in helping the children format their brains in learning a different way. Here is a decent Mind Mapping eBook, it is called the Human Knowledge Mind Map and worthy of your time to read;

http://www3.sympatico.ca/cypher2/WebMindMapBook.pdf

On page 7 you will indeed see a brilliantly laid out MindMap, which could potentially be taught to children with a little simplification and then as they get use to it, more components can be added. This will assist them in learning not just rote memorization.

Eventually the children will begin to learn thru thinking rather than question and answer indoctrination you see? Well, I hope this philosophical thought and concept propels your mind in 2007 in your quest to be the best.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/

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Lance Winslow - EzineArticles Expert Author