Mind Maps! | Revision & Study Tips

Creating a mind map is my favourite way to revise because I find it's easier to find the key information which means it's much easier to remember. I mainly make mind maps for history because there is tons of information that can be quite daunting once you start revising! My favourite way of setting out a mind map is to write the topic in the centre of the paper and draw a bubble around it - so it stands out and it's quicker to pinpoint exactly what you are revising. I tend to use felt tips pens - mainly because I like everything to be colourful but also because it's easier to memorise certain information, if you write it out in different colours. Once I've written the topic in the centre, I do a few arrows coming off the bubble (I usually do all the arrows in the same colour) and then I pick a sub-title, which I can have various arrows branching off of. Then, I write down the appropriate information and I always write the key words in a different colour - in this case, all the key words are written in pink. Normally, I use A4 paper to draw mind maps on but for topics which require a lot of information that needs to be remembered, I used big pieces of paper like the one above. I'm not sure what size this is but I got it from my teacher at school so I'm sure if you ask around, someone will be able to give you some.

Before I create a mind map, I always make sure I know exactly what I need to put on it. My history teacher gave me a big booklet with all the information - on the history of medicine - that I will need. The first thing I did was to go through the booklet and highlight the key information. This made it much easier and simpler to record the things I need to remember. It was also a good way to test myself as I highlighted the information and then tried to recall it on the mind map, without looking at all the information in the book.

Another way to record information is by using a 'target sheet'. This was given to me by my teacher but you could also create one yourself (on something like Microsoft Word) by drawing different sized circles and placing them on top of each other. The target sheet I completed included information on Galen and why he was important. This is quite a common topic in the History exam. The question is in the middle and in the next circle, I wrote a point: one thing that he did - he proved things about the human body. In the circle after that, I explained the point: he proved the brain controlled speech. In the empty space, I wrote extra information which could be used to pick up extra marks. By creating a target sheet, it helps to plan out answers and now I know exactly what I need to write to get full marks. I coloured each segment in a different colour so it appears more interesting - I get attracted to colour so I find revising more enjoyable whereas if the page was plain, I wouldn't look at it as often.

Click on any of these links below and they will take you to my other Revision & Study Tips posts:

❤ Tip One: Getting Started! ❤

❤ Tip Two: Stationery! ❤

❤ Tip Three: Revision Books! ❤

❤ Tip Four: Mindmaps! ❤

❤ Tip Five: Organization! ❤