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Introducing research in law and beyond
Introducing research in law and beyond

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2.4 Mind maps

Mind maps (sometimes called spray diagrams) are good for remembering things, taking notes, saving time and concentrating. They are also great for generating ideas. Figure 3 shows an example of a mind map.

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Figure 3 Mind map diagram
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Figure 3 is designed to illustrate how a mind map can be drawn. The figure has a centre circle shaped like a cloud from which four straight lines are drawn. The centre circle contains the words ‘Topic’. Along each of the four straight lines the words ‘Main Point’ appear. At the end point of each of the four straight lines further short lines are drawn in different directions. Each of these short lines leads to the words ‘Sub-point’.

Figure 3 Mind map diagram

A cause and effect diagram is a way of analysing the possible causes of a problem so that they can be examined separately to seek a solution. It may also be referred to as a 'fishbone' or 'Ishikawa' diagram. The 'effect' is the problem for which a solution is sought, such as the growth of international piracy. It is written in a box at the end of a long arrow, as shown in Figure 4:

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Figure 4 The first stage of creating a cause and effect diagram on the growth of international piracy
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Figure 4 is a simple diagram with a single horizontal arrow pointing to the right, leading to a box that contains the text ‘Piracy growing’

Figure 4 The first stage of creating a cause and effect diagram on the growth of international piracy

The 'bones' of the fish are then added as shown in Figure 5.

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Figure 5 An example of the cause and effect technique applied to the growth of international piracy
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Figure 5 is a diagram that builds on Figure 4. The horizontal arrow leading to the right to the box labelled ‘Piracy growing’ (from Figure 4) are in the centre of the diagram. There are two boxes above the middle arrow and two below, they are spaced apart to approximately the width of the middle arrow. They effectively form a row above and below the middle arrow, each row being partially offset to the left in relation to the middle arrow. The text in the top-left box contains the text ‘State enforcement’. The text in the top-right box contains the text ‘Law of the Sea’. The text in the bottom-left box contains the text ‘Business’. The text in the bottom-left box contains the text ‘Security Council’. From each of these four boxes a long left-to-right diagonal arrows point to the middle arrow, each is parallel to its neighbouring arrow. Each of these four arrows has three smaller, labelled arrows placed alternately right and left along its length. From the top-left box to the middle arrow the three labels read: ‘Failed states’, ‘Short-term mitigation’, ‘Long-term mitigation’. From the top-right box to the middle arrow the three labels read: ‘Definition problem’, ‘Territorial and high seas’, ‘Articles 100−107’. From the bottom-left box to the middle arrow the three labels read: ‘Ransoms’, ‘Ship hardening’ and ‘Insurance’. From the bottom-right: ‘Chapter VII UN Charter’, ‘Arrested pirates’ and ‘Prosecutions’.

Figure 5 An example of the cause and effect technique applied to the growth of international piracy

Each 'bone' represents a possible cause of the problem. Further bones can be added until all the possible causes have been identified. The bones themselves can be broken down to aid understanding if required.

The fishbone technique keeps the ideas separate so that they can be considered more easily but also shows how they may be interconnected.