What is Mind Map to You? Week 5~

Welcome back! Wew, I'm glad that this week lecture is not about history. History is so boring and it's boredom almost killed me. :( This week's topic is about mind map. Yes, mind map. Although this topic was taught already in the tri-semester before, but it is brought up again this week. I guess mind map is something very important that has to be keep on repeating in class. Mr. Mustafa was the lecturer for this week and this week's lecture will certainly more interesting than last week's lecture.

What is a Mind Map?

Sir Tony Buzan

Mind map is a powerful and useful tool that is introduced by Sir Tony Buzan. What is this powerful tool for? Anyone think about it's function before? I bet no one thinks about it. I suppose students that undergo the Malaysia education barely able to get in touch with the usage of mind map in their studies or simply told by teacher to use a mind map without knowing the true purpose of building a mind map. Me, as a Malaysian encountered the same problems when I was in primary and secondary school. So, what is the true function of using a mind map? Sir Tony Buzan introduced mind map as it is a great tool to generate ideas and works efficiently in brainstorming. Basically it is use in taking notes, research or generating ideas. "Taking note by using a mind map? Are you sure?", I know some of you will doubt about this statement but it is true. Just experience it by yourself. Try taking notes with mind map and normal notes-taking way, compare the efficiency of both way. I'm very sure that mind map will be more efficient!!

There are 2 kinds of mind map that was introduced by our lecturer which is logical mind map and associated mind map. 

Logical Mind Map

According to Mr. Mustafa's lecture slides, the Logical Mind Map is directly connected to stereotypes. The Logical mind map comprises of solely stereotype words. Which means that every word or image that is put within the mind map is directly related to the central subject through its links.In other word, logical mind map is consider as the mind map that we usually use in our life. The subject that we want to discuss is in situated at the central and the ideas that we wanted to present out in branch out from the central subject. The ideas or words that branch out should be related to the central subject.

Example of Logical Mind Map:

 

The Rules Of Logical Mindmapping

Always have your SUBJECT in the center of the page.

Try to make the subject more dominant than the rest of the words and images in the mind map.

Decide on the main categories of the subject before executing on mind map.

Try to have the different categories in different colors, to make it easier to identify.

Try to use drawings or images to make your mind map more interesting and personal.

The ideal mind map should be shaped like the roots of a tree, branching out from a center.

It is OK to repeat words or even interlink certain words.

Try to make your mind map neat and easily legible. REMEMBER one of the aims of the mind map is to create interest and to be able to access information easily.

Benefit of Logical Mind-Mapping Technique; 

• It is a concise way of listing and categorizing a mass of information.

• The relationship between each word will help trigger memories and greatly reduce the amount of note taking and assist in the understanding of the subject.

• The more interesting the mind map the greater the interest that the on looker will have in the information.

• The usage of images along side with word will again create interest for the mind map as well as assist in triggering a memory of the subject.

Associated Mind Map

This is the second kind of mind map. From Mr. Mustafa's slide, the way of using associated mind map is to generate random words and also show the links between words that seemingly have no connection. So what is the meaning of this? Hrmmm... This mind map also starts with a central subjects and there are ideas or words or pictures that branches out too. But the ideas that branches out from the central subject is not directly related to it or just simply random. Anything that comes to your mind can be put as the branch out ideas. No limit for it. It is quite free compare to logical mind map.

Example of  Associated Mind Map:

OK, now is the time for assignment for this week! 

What is Mind Map to you?

Before this, I don't think that mind map is useful in our study. Well, it is before. Now, after I have studied mind map and I had a chance to get in touch with Mind map, I found out that it is a great tools which will help me in completing my works or anything efficiently. Although I don't use mind map before this in doing anything like taking notes, research or brainstorming, but now I feel that I can't do anything without it. It is so useful than normal way of taking down notes as you only write down one word in each branch in a mind map and this make you more focus and concentrate in memorizing notes. Mind map is also efficient in group discussion. Sometimes group discussion session fails to brings out any desired result, because there is no other things to help us to brainstorm. Mind map is useful in this situation as it enhance our brainstorming.

That's all for this week. Thank you. :3

 Source:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/charles57/Creative/Authors/ABuzan.htm 
Creative Studies(PCS0013) Week 5 lecture's slides