MINDING MIND MAPS — A KEY FOR COMPETITIVE SUCCESS

Dr. Pankaj Kumar
Nov 4 · 3 min read

Exams are round the corner and perhaps the biggest issue in the mind of student is how to revise. Recalling vast content in the limited period of time is the toughest challenge. Isn’t? Solution, perhaps, lies in the MIND-MAPS. A mind map is a graphical way to represent concepts. It helps in structuring information, enable the better logical analysis which eventually used in recalling the facts during examination.

Mind Map

In a mind map, on contrary to traditional way of writing notes, information is structured in a way that resembles much more closely how our brain actually works. Since it is an activity that is both analytical and artistic, it engages our brain in a much, much richer way, helping in all its cognitive functions. It is, in fact, a powerful note-taking method. Mind Maps not only highlight important facts, but also show the overall structure of a subject and the relative importance of individual parts of it.

Now the question is when and how to prepare the Mind Maps?

WHEN MIND MAPS SHOULD BE PREPARED?
One should construct Mind Map along with the study of chapters of any given subject. Ideally one should read the entire content of the given chapter and try to comprehend the idea in the form of drawing a Mind Map. It may take several attempts before one can finalize the map. Interestingly, in the very process of building the map, the concept is reinforced in the brain.

HOW TO DRAW A MIND MAP?
Drawing a mind map is very simple. It can be created in many different ways, but they share the same basics principles:
a. Selection of the central theme and it is placed in the center
b. Radiating theme related with central theme which is basically consisting of subtopics
c. Repetition of the step b for the subtopics

Let’s exemplify it. As a teacher I want to build a Mind Map for the entire chapter of genetics. I will follow all the three steps and my Mind Map will look like:

Mind Map for Genetics

Now as a teacher I am very clear what I have to cover and in which sequence. Similarly, students can also construct the Mind map and ideally they should be doing it for one chapter. Let’s exemplify it. In class XII of genetics in biology, the mind map can be constructed for a monohybrid inheritance as given below.

Mind Map for Monohybrid Inheritance

The use of color is important in the mind map. Research shows that people who use color and images in their imagination, when they are learning, are better in remembering than those who don’t. Mind Map, thus, constructed will help in keeping all necessary facts at one place and one can revise it in maximum of 1 minute. Moreover, the chances that student will miss any concept is also very less.

Advantages of Mind mapping concept are as follows:

a. It increases creativity and productivity

b. Identify relationships among the different data and information,

c. Effectively improve memory and retention

d. Gaining insight on complex subjects

e. Excellent tool for last minute revision

Dr. Pankaj Kumar

Written by

Chief Operating Officer, D Y Patil Academy, Pune

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