Mind Mapping Step-by-step Guide to Creating Your own Mind Map

Mind Mapping Take a BLANK piece of paper and start by turning your paper sideways – landscape – this allows much greater freedom for the brain. Choose a SUBJECT, for example, planning a holiday or writing a school essay and gather all the information around you connected to the subject. Start in the CENTRE of the page and draw an image related to the subject, for example, the beach on holiday or a symbol to do with the school essay subject. Don’t make the image too big. Using thick lines, add the MAIN THEMES or key branches related to the subject area – create ‘wavy’ branches out from the central image. The length of the line for each branch should be the same length as the word or image.

Mind Mapping Using thin lines, from each main branch you can create SUB BRANCHES to add sub themes, like tributaries from a river, showing other information related to each key branch subject. Add extra levels of thought by each branch Use colour, images, codes or arrows wherever possible. Remember to use key words and images – one word to a line. Develop your own unique short hand or images, being as creative as you like to make each mind map more colourful and picturesque.

Mind Mapping Your first Mind Map may not look as artistic as you hoped, but whatever it looks like is fine. Every Mind Map you create, you will develop more confidence and you will become more artistic and creative.

Mind Map Rules Use Emphasis Always use a central image. Use images throughout your Mind Map. Use three or more colours per central image. Use dimension in images and around words. Use variations of size of text, line and image. Use organised spacing. Use appropriate spacing. Use Association Use arrows when you want to make connections within and across the branch pattern. Use colours. Use codes.

Mind Map Rules Be Clear Use only one Key Word per line. Print all words. Print Key Words on lines Make line length equal to line length. Make major branches connect to central image. Connect lines to other lines. Make the central lines thicker. Make your boundaries ‘embrace’ your branch outline. Make your images as clear as possible. Keep your paper placed horizontally in front of you. Keep your printing as upright as possible Develop a Personal Style Layout Use Hierarchy Use Numerical Order