Learning Maps and Memory Skills (Creating Success)

Here are some important rules in learning maps:

• Start in the middle of the paper . If you use A4 sheets turn them sideways . It is easier to spread out the lines that way and to read what you have written. It is a frequent beginner s fault to turn the paper round as you write. Don t do that! It takes a lot of time to read the words when you use the learning map later on.

• Print the words “ it makes it easier to read!

  Use mainly lower case but if you like you can use CAPITALS now and then, for instance to show the important words or the keywords in your map. It is easier to read lower case as the words differ more from one another than capital letters .

• One word on each line . If you need more words, draw new lines. Try to limit the number of words you write. You need only a few words if you choose the right ones.

• Use colours to highlight, to decorate, to differentiate one group of words from another and in illustrations.

• Draw pictures . Pictures contain a lot more information than words. Try to find pictures that can gather information from a whole group of words. In the learning map at the end of this book you will see examples of this.

• Use symbols, signs and arrows to show connections in your learning map or if you want to refer to other material such as quotations, graphs, charts and other reference material you don t want to have in the learning map.

• Make details in your learning map unique . Every learning map is in itself unique, but you can, for instance, make some of the words, pictures and symbols stand out in some respect by drawing them three-dimensional.

The reason for this is of course that uniqueness is a way of increasing your memory power.

• Use your imagination ! Nothing is really forbidden in your own learning map. A learning map is a personal note-taking technique and whatever increases your use of it is permitted. As simple as that!