These Are My Favorite Mind Map Templates for Studying.
Mind maps are useful for improving performance in everyday tasks, but it is also a technique that is widely used for learning. A mind map is not just a diagram that outlines tasks, but a visualization of how ideas relate to each other. Here’s what you need to know when using one for school and where you can find the best templates online.
What is the use of a mind map for studying?
A mind map helps you generate ideas based on how they relate to other concepts. You start by writing a central idea in the center of the page, and then draw branches for other ideas. For example, if you have to write an essay about the Civil War, you would write it in the center and then add sections such as “causes,” “participants,” and “results.”
You can prepare for this by taking careful notes in class, writing down the most important key words; you can even use mapping as a separate note-taking method , separating related ideas and words from each other. As you make mental maps, continue to expand outward. For example, “reasons” include slavery, of course, but also differing economic policies, cultural values, and opinions about how far the influence of the federal government should extend. Also use lines to connect all related ideas; all three of them were also related to slavery in some way, so they can be associated not only with “causes” but also with “slavery”, which helps visually make it even clearer that the Civil War was fought primarily because of slavery .
The purpose of this is to stimulate your creative thinking and help you make connections between ideas, as well as visualize the main themes, which is useful for understanding the topic or outline of an essay.
Best Mind Map Templates
You can do this on a piece of paper, Microsoft Word or similar software, using different kinds of lines and shapes to connect and outline your ideas. Do you know what’s even simpler? Using ready-made templates. Here are my favorites:
- Lucidchart is an online software that allows you to create three editable charts in the free version, but you can buy an individual subscription for $7.95 if you need an unlimited number of documents. The free version also only allows you to use 60 shapes per document, but it comes with 100 templates. The paid version allows you to use an unlimited number of objects and also includes premium forms and templates.
- Miro is free to use and offers great collaboration capabilities, so it’s a great option if you’re working on a group project. It’s easy to use, comes with lots of templates, and works well on all devices, so you can change the map on your phone if you’re on the go.
- Of course, Canva , a free online graphics software, is always suitable for mind mapping or any other visual task. The site has over 1,000 ready-made templates available for you to use and is extremely easy to navigate.