# Mind mapping

**Source**: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/university-essentials/study-essentials/mind-mapping/
**Parent**: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/university-essentials/study-essentials/

Mind mapping is a creative and logical means of note-taking and note-making that literally "maps out" your ideas. Keep reading to find out how to create an effective mind map.

Mind maps are a useful tool for making notes, revising and organising information. They are a visual representation of connections between concepts and ideas that are related to one central topic.

## Why are mind maps useful?

Mind maps are an extremely useful study tool for several reasons:

- mind maps help to clarify the key concepts of a topic
- they show links and relationships between ideas
- mind maps organise ideas and information by making it accessible on a single page
- they facilitate memory through key words and phrases
- mind maps save time as they are very quick to do.

Mind maps are particularly useful for scoping and planning a topic for an assignment or essay and for revising and preparing for tests and exams.

## Test yourself

Look at the following list of ideas about 'Forms of water'.

### Forms of water

#### Gas

- water vapour
- steam

#### Solid

- frost
- snow
- ice

#### Liquid

- cloud
- rain
- fog
- mist
- stream
- dew

Now, look at the mind map version of the same ideas. Which version is easier to remember?\

Forms of water mind map, by [RMIT](https://rmit.edu.au/), licensed under [CC BY-NC 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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## Keywords

- [Mind mapping](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/keyword/mind-mapping/)
- [Understanding the question](https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/keyword/understanding-question/)

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