Mind Mapping For Dummies

Mind Mapping For Dummies

Released June 2012
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119969150

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Book description

Unlock your brain's potential using mind mapping

Mind mapping is a popular technique that can be applied in a variety of situations and settings. Students can make sense of complex topics and structure their revision with mind mapping; business people can manage projects and collaborate with colleagues using mind maps, and any creative process can be supported by using a mind map to explore ideas and build upon them. Mind maps allow for greater creativity when recording ideas and information whatever the topic, and enable the note-taker to associate words with visual representations.

Mind Mapping For Dummies explains how mind mapping works, why it's so successful, and the many ways it can be used. It takes you through the wide range of approaches to mind mapping, looks at the available mind mapping software options, and investigates advanced mind mapping techniques for a range of purposes, including studying for exams, improving memory, project management, and maximizing creativity.

  • Suitable for students of all ages and study levels

  • An excellent resource for people working on creative projects who wish to use mind mapping to develop their ideas

  • Shows businesspeople how to maximize their efficiency, manage projects, and brainstorm effectively

If you're a student, artist, writer, or businessperson, Mind Mapping For Dummies shows you how to unlock your brain's potential.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Title Page
  4. Foreword
  5. Introduction
    1. Part I: Mind Mapping: The Swiss Army Knife for the Brain
    2. Part II: Traditional Mind Mapping in Practice
    3. Part III: Mind Mapping Software
    4. Part IV: Advanced Strategies for Mind Mapping
    5. Part V: The Part of Tens
  6. Part I: Mind Mapping: The Swiss Army Knife for the Brain
    1. Chapter 1: Introducing Mind Mapping
      1. Give it a try!
      2. Taking the Mind Map a stage further
      3. A little reflection please
      4. ‘Cribs’ for lectures and presentations
      5. Taking notes from texts and books
      6. Taking notes from presentations and discussions
      7. Project management
      8. Knowledge management
    2. Chapter 2: Visualising Information
      1. Text as a form of visual information
      2. Reducing complexity and presenting information in a different way
      3. Two examples
      4. What science has to say
      5. The visualisation method used for Mind Mapping
    3. Chapter 3: Generating Mind Maps
      1. Branches – it’s all connected
      2. Keywords instead of phrases
      3. The exception proves the rule
      4. Colours – not just pretty to look at
      5. Your personal set of symbols
      6. Boxes and clouds – highlighting what’s important
      7. Making arrow connections quite clear
    4. Chapter 4: Why Mind Mapping Works
      1. Pictures: Unique and unforgettable
      2. A picture says more than a thousand words
      3. How we think
      4. The big picture and details
      5. More information dimensions and greater information density
  7. Part II: Traditional Mind Mapping in Practice
    1. Chapter 5: Preparing Talks and Lectures Using Mind Maps
      1. Step 1: Marshalling your initial thoughts
      2. Step 2: Determining the main themes
      3. Step 3: Adding detail
      4. Step 4: Testing the Mind Map
    2. Chapter 6: Handling Text with Mind Mapping
      1. Example: Motivation
      2. Example: Email guideline
      3. The best way of dealing with the text
    3. Chapter 7: Note-Taking in Talks, Lectures and Meetings
      1. Characteristics of talks, lectures and meetings
      2. Give it a try!
      3. Colour and symbol codes
      4. Mind Mapping = in – out to the power of ten
  8. Part III: Mind Mapping Software
    1. Chapter 8: Software versus Traditional Mind Mapping
      1. The advantages of Mind-Mapping software over pen and paper
    2. Chapter 9: Taking a Tour of Mind-Mapping Software
      1. Aviz Thoughtmapper
      2. Concept Draw MindMap
      3. EMINEC MYmap
      4. freemind – really free
      5. iMindMap – from the inventor of Mind Mapping
      6. Inspiration – recommended for schools
      7. MindGenius
      8. Mindjet MindManager – the market leader
      9. MindVisualizer – particularly simple
      10. MindMapper
      11. Novamind
      12. Matchware MindView 3
      13. XMind – the basic version is free
      14. Mapmyself
      15. Mind42 – simple and free of charge
      16. MindMeister
      17. Mindomo
    3. Chapter 10: Introducing Mindjet MindManager
      1. Important control keys
      2. Keeping it neat and tidy: Formatting options
      3. Quick notes within branches
      4. Inserting hyperlinks – how it works
      5. Simple but useful: Fading branches in and out
      6. Power filter: Filtering by specific criteria
      7. Adding task information to branches
      8. Sharing your Mind Map
      9. Mindjet Player – interactive pdf document
      10. pdf – easy and practical
      11. Image files for integration into other documents
      12. Pack&Go – and all the links work
      13. Word – presenting a Mind Map as a linear document
      14. PowerPoint – from branches to bullet points
    4. Chapter 11: Exploring ThinkBuzan's iMindMap
      1. Branches
      2. Three kinds of branch
      3. Speed Mind Mapping – how it works
      4. Formatting with iMindMap
      5. SmartLayout: From linear to radial Mind Maps
      6. Project-management mode: GANTT view
      7. Step 1: Select the branches concerned
      8. Step 2: Inputting task details
      9. Step 3: Adjusting views
      10. Really quite presentable: Presentation mode
      11. An alternative: Exporting as a PowerPoint presentation
  9. Part IV: Advanced Strategies for Mind Mapping
    1. Chapter 12: Mind Mapping Reading Techniques
      1. Step 1: Skimming the text
      2. Step 2: Recalling background knowledge
      3. Step 3: Setting questions and aims
      4. Step 1: Skim reading
      5. Step 2: Preview
      6. Step 3: Immersion
      7. Step 4: Difficult passages
    2. Chapter 13: Learning and Preparing for Exams with Mind Mapping
      1. Step 1: Taking Mind-Mapping notes
      2. Generating special Study Mind Maps
      3. Step 2: Entering your own thoughts
      4. Step 3: Revising regularly
      5. Step 4: Explaining it to others
    3. Chapter 14: Project Management with Mind Mapping
      1. Structuring projects with Mind Mapping
      2. Planning a business trip
      3. Managing distance learning
    4. Chapter 15: Knowledge Management with Mind Mapping
      1. Example: Personal start centre
      2. Managing scientific work with Mind Maps
    5. Chapter 16: Mind Mapping for Creativity
      1. Creativity yields results
      2. It’s a personal thing
      3. Modelling the creative process
      4. Principles of creativity – two-stage thinking
      5. Example: Publishing an eye-catching book
      6. Me on my own (no groups)
      7. Using Mind Mapping in the second stage
      8. Step 1: Formulating an issue
      9. Step 2: Inputting ideas
      10. Step 3: Evaluating ideas
      11. Step 4: Structuring ideas
  10. Part V: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Working Efficiently with Mind Mapping
      1. Filing away hand-drawn Mind Maps
      2. Generating master copies
      3. Using tablet PCs
    2. Chapter 18: (Almost) Ten Tips on How to Make Mind Mapping Your Everyday Working Tool
  11. Cheat Sheet

Product information

  • Title: Mind Mapping For Dummies
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: June 2012
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119969150