To quickly summarise a lot of information, some people find it helpful to draw a ‘mind map? which shows how the different topics are connected.
Start with a large sheet of unlined (plain) paper and coloured pens or pencils. A mind map can be produced for any subject or topic. They all begin in the middle of the paper with a word, picture or symbol that represents the subject being explored. The next stage is to let your mind wander as freely as possible around the subject, thinking of key words or phrases that trigger ideas. The most important of these are placed nearest to the central image and are connected with lines to the centre. The next stage is to add associated ideas to each of the key words, again using lines to connect them. The process of creating the map can help to sort out ideas and how they fit together. These maps are very personal and can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish ? there is no right or wrong way to do it. Some students like to add a lot of detail, for example including colour, pictures, page references and examples, while others prefer a simple plan, concentrating on the key points.
Do not worry too much about how to do this at this point in the unit as we will build on the technique of mind mapping in section 2.5. It is more important that you just have a go at producing your own mind map.
Summarise what you have studied in this section using a mind map. Even if you have never used one of these before, have a go, then compare yours with Figure 4. In this case the central theme is ‘Section 1?, so put that in your central bubble then go back through the section picking out the main ideas and points that relate to them.
Figure 4 Mind map for the contents of Section 1 (labelled Chapter 1)Long descriptionDo not worry if your map looks different from this one. It is your personal record of the content of the section and how the different sections relate to each other. You may find connections that others do not spot. You may find it helpful to create your own mind map for each section and use it to review your work at a later date.
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