Drawing of a mind map, mostly handwritten. This mind map shows the kinds of things you might put on a mind map about a course, and one way of laying it out.

In the centre is an open book with the word ‘Introduction’ written on the left-hand page. From this book, six lines lead to oval shapes with words inside. The headings of these six ovals read, clockwise: skills, different viewpoints, case studies, activities, assignments and aims. These are each broken down further, either within the oval or nearby, linked by another line.

‘Skills’ is linked with two separate lists: firstly, to a list consisting of ‘communication, problem solving, organisational’ and, secondly, to ‘academic’ with a list below breaking this down into ‘reading, note taking, writing, evidence and ideas’. ‘Ideas’ is further broken down, with a line from it going to the words ‘thinking about my ideas’ and ‘evaluating them’.

The oval containing ‘Aims’ also has this term subdivided into ‘being a student’, ‘skills’ and ‘learning’.

‘Different viewpoints’ has a line linking it to ‘mine’, ‘other people’s’ and ‘theories’.

Under ‘case studies’, three little frames containing simple figures are drawn, with the names Karen, Levene and Shehnaz beneath them.

Finally, unconnected to the rest of the mind map, in the bottom right-hand corner, the words ‘color?’, ‘pictures?’ and ‘DVD’ are written, with a simple illustration of a DVD.

◄ 1.2 Using mind maps to help make sense of complex information