Stay Engaged In-Class with Mind Mapping

Does note-taking sound monotonous to you? It may be time to try the mind mapping method of note-taking!

At the beginning of every class, write the subject, or class title, in the centre of your page – this will act as the anchor for all your notes.

Then, as class continues, instead of writing complete sentences, write only short phrases, or key words, and connect them to your anchor with lines.

This method of note-taking focuses more on the relationship between facts, instead of just capturing every piece of information that’s covered.

• Start with a blank piece of paper – it will allow more freedom than lined paper
• After class, go back to your mind map and add in any information you may have forgotten in class
• To make your mind map as neat as possible, start at the top right of the page and work your way around in a clockwise direction
• Try using different pencil colours for each type of fact. For example, write key dates in red, important names in purple, and background information in blue
• When reviewing your notes, highlight key branches of your map that may be particularly important for tests or essays

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