Notes: The Mind Map Book

by the Buzan Bros.

• If one is weak in any skill area, the correct statement must be 'I have yet to develop mental skill X.'
• other books by them: Use Your Head, and Use Both Sides of Your Brain.
• Our brains tend to look for pattern and completion. 
• Mind Map always radiates from a central image. 
• brainstorming (words) is the first step, then images.
• Anyone can draw to good art school level. Integrate words and images. Images whenever appropriate. 
• BOI - basic ordering ideas.
• Any Mind Map is potentially infinite. ties into the infinite associate nature of your brain. Mind Map is based on the logic of associations. 
• Three As of Mind Mapping: Accept, Apply, Adapt. 
• Laws of MM: use emphasis -- central image; colors; dimension; variations in size of letters, big to small.One word. Print. + 1 rule ... slightly more beautiful than the last map. 
• Break mental blocks: add blank lines, ask questions, add images. 
• Use for decision-making: dyadic decision ... yes/no .. by highlighting the key trade-offs.
• Come to a decision: process-generated, number-weighting, intuition.
• Indecision: more fruitful to have made some decision and be implementing it, than be in a state of paralysis. 
• Groups of BOIs: Basic questions, divisions, properties, history, structure, function, process, evaluation, classification, definitions, personalities. 
• Other peoples ideas (taking notes). 
• Mnemonic device associates two items in order to recall (re-create) a third image in the future. A creative device likewise combines two elements to project a third into the future, but the creative aim is to change or affect the future, whereas the mnemonic aim is simply to remember. 
• MM to search for a 'lost' memory; leave center blank and surround it with words and images associated with the absent center. 
• MM for learning. MMapping is a strategy that can be used to encourage "deep" rather than "surface" learning, where "deep" is intrinsically motivated, where students try to understand the meaning to their work and understand the context of new ideas and concepts. 'Surface' learning tends to be externally motivated and leads to rote learning. Surface approaches are most frequently used successfully at primary and secondary level and that few students find it necessary to modify their strategies at uni level.