What is Mind Mapping?
A mindmap is a visual tool to help you to break down complex topics into smaller, more understandable chunks. They're great for sharing information, understanding complex topics, and lots more!
The Structure of a Mind Map
A mind map starts with a central item that is progressively broken down into smaller components; Subtopics branch out from the central item forming a tree structure.
There's no limit to how many levels you can break a topic into, so you can go as deep as you like.
How to Start Mind Mapping
Step 1: Create a diagram and enter a central topic.
The central topic represents, at the highest level, what your mind map is about. Think of it as the title of your diagram that allows other people to understand what the content might be about.
Step 2: Repeatedly break down topics into related subtopics.
Now it's time to fill in the main content for your mind map: start by adding some branches that are related to the main branch.
For example, if you're creating a diagram about Animals, you might start with "Vertebrates" and "Invertebrates".
After that you can break down the items you've just added into their parts. Keep going until you feel you've gone into enough detail. How you break down your idea is completely up to you, there's no right or wrong way!
Step 3: Layout topics, format the text, colour, and line styles.
Having written down all your ideas they probably need a bit of sorting out. You can change the colours, positioning, line styles, and text format to help create a diagram that clearly conveys your topics and relationships between them.
You can also create cross-links between items to show how different parts of your top are related. Of course, you can do all this while adding topics too!
Step 4: Add images, labels, icons and comments to make your ideas clear.
Sometimes an idea needs a picture, an icon, or some more in depth description to make it truly clear. Add images, icons, and comments to your diagram wherever you feel it would make your topic earlier to understand or memorise.