Note Taking and Note Making with Mind Maps®
Working? Studying? Finding it hard to remember information? Can’t find something on a list? Are you sure you wrote that down somewhere?
Whether you are a business professional, student or both you’ll probably be making a lot of notes. Whether it’s taking notes in meetings or lectures, or making notes on a business report or text book that you are reading. Later you will most certainly need to revisit, recall or even add to this information.
Linear notes vs Mind Maps
From an early age we are taught to make lists and conventional notes; a very passive process. Lists and conventional notes are great on the day you make them, but weeks or months down the line they can be difficult to locate, read and condense because your brain does not need to process the information.
Mind Maps engage your brain because you need to organise the information in a series of essential topics and branches. They are more compact, often taking up just one side of paper/screen (see Mind Mapping Software). They will help you to make associations easily, you can add to them at a later date and other people can also add to them. What’s more, they are very quick to review as you can often refresh information in your mind just by glancing at one.
It’s worth remembering that Mind Maps are not just for note making and note taking. Find out more about the uses of Mind Maps from our downloadable Mind Map.
Effective… Simple… Memorable Notes
- This is a software created Mind Map of a lecture by Professor Susan Greenfield, the eminent neuroscientist
Mind Maps are effective for note taking from the spoken word and note making from the written word. You’ll organise information, ideas and concepts using images and keywords to add emphasis and association to your notes. Using these images creates visual triggers that help you to remember more and recall with ease. Some people think of Mind Maps as being a little unprofessional or ‘messy’, but we find that they are a great conversation piece and amaze most people.
Note Taking From The Spoken Word
The approach suggested below can be used to take notes from speeches, lectures, videos, television, meetings and conversations.
We’ve included an example Mind Map that has been taken from a lecture by Professor Susan Greenfield, the eminent neuroscientist. To see a full screen version please click on the Mind Map image.
Click here to view the linear transcript taken from this lecture.
1. Get your central image from the title of whatever it is you are listening to, watching or taking part in. If necessary wait until it becomes clear.
2. It helps to have your main branches already prepared. This may be discovered by asking the speaker for the main topics.
- An example of a hand drawn Mind Map taken during an interviewing skills course - see more examples at www.mind-mapping.co.uk
3. To build up your skill and confidence, you may want to try the following:
- Start with a “low risk” activity such as a TV show or the news.
- Create a Mind Map from your linear notes, highlighting the KEY words for your main branches.
- Work with a “buddy”. One makes a Mind Map, the other makes linear notes. Compare after the lecture or meeting.
- As a back up use a small voice recorder to record the talk. If you feel you are getting “behind”, “lost” or “in a mess”, you can re-visit the recording to check it and add to your Mind Map later.
4. If you wish to re-do or re-order your Mind Map because it looks “messy” consider what “messy” means. Does the Mind Map look messy or is the organisation of the information messy? Note that linear notes may look neat, but informationally they are often very messy; it is hard to get the information back from the notes at a glance. A hurried Mind Map may occasionally look messy, but informationally it is still neater and clearer. If it is appropriate you can always make it more beautiful and finely organised when you review or redo it.
5. The most important themes and KEY words can be moved from many specific, detailed Mind Maps onto a MASTER MIND MAP. This can be a magnificent review process and also can show the connections and relationships between information, even from different disciplines.
Note Taking From The Written Word
The approach suggested below can be used to summarise books, magazines, articles and reports.
- An example of a hand drawn Mind Map book summary (A Users Guide to the Brain) - see more examples at www.mind-mapping.co.uk
1. The idea for your central image may be stimulated by the covers, logos or any other graphics or images from the material you are reading.
2. The major branches (Basic Ordering Ideas) could be supplied by:
- chapter headings
- division headings
- goals
- questions
3. Browse and range read (range reading is the ability to have a choice of reading speeds to adjust to your mood and the material) the information, adding layers of detail as needed.
4. Remember to SELECT actively the information you need and REJECT that which you do not.
5. HIGHLIGHT the KEY WORDS which will provide the triggers to large quantities of additional data.
» Mind Mapping courses and workshops
» Learn how to Mind Map with our e-learning course – “Introduction to Mind Mapping”
» See more examples of Mind Maps on our extensive Mind Mapping website.
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