Mind Mapping For Dummies

Step 1: Skim reading

In your first read-through read the:

Introductions

Summaries

Headings and subheadings

Tables and illustrations

As you read, transfer the material gleaned from these sections into your Mind Map. This procedure can be applied to the whole book. If the book has a section headed ‘Introduction’ and one headed ‘Summary/Conclusion’, then read these two sections first of all.

You can then apply the same method to these sections and check, for example, whether the section ‘Introduction’ itself has introductions, summaries, headings, subheadings, and so on.

When you’ve read the ‘Introduction’ and ‘Summary’ sections, move on to the main chapters in similar fashion and add material to your Mind Map or extend it accordingly.

It’s often the case that an introduction and summary already contain much of the information set out in the chapters. It may be that the information in these two sections is sufficient for you to answer your questions and achieve your targets. If so, you can then lay the book aside. There’s no reason why you should spend any more time on it. If you haven’t ...