View source for Mind map

{{about|the visual diagram|the geographical concept|Mental mapping}}
{{Short description|Diagram to visually organize information}}
[[File:Cubital Fossa2.png|thumb|A mind map about the [[cubital fossa]] or elbow pit, including an [[illustration]] of the central concept]]
{{InfoMaps}}
A '''mind map''' is a  [[diagram]] used to visually organize information into a [[hierarchy]], showing relationships among pieces of the whole.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hopper |first=Carolyn H. |date=2007 |chapter=Mapping |title=Practicing College Learning Strategies |edition=4th |location=Boston |publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/practicingcolleg00caro_0/page/139 139–143] |isbn=978-0618643783 |oclc=70880063 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/practicingcolleg00caro_0/page/139 |chapter-url-access=registration}}</ref> It is often based on a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added. Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas [[Tree structure|branch out]] from those major ideas.

Mind maps can also be drawn by hand, either as "notes" during a lecture, meeting or planning session, for example, or as higher quality pictures when more time is available. Mind maps are considered to be a type of [[Concept map|spider diagram]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/mind-map?q=mind+map |title=Mind Map noun - definition in the British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionaries Online |publisher=Dictionary.cambridge.org |access-date=2013-07-10}}</ref>

== Origin ==
Although the term "mind map" was first popularized by British [[popular psychology]] author and television personality [[Tony Buzan]],<ref>{{cite journal |title=Tony Buzan obituary |journal=[[The Times]] |pages=57 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/tony-buzan-obituary-wmfjjtkk9 |date=17 April 2019 |quote=With receding hair, a toothy grin and a ready sense of humour, he popularised the idea of mental literacy with mind mapping, a thinking technique that he said was inspired by methods used by Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein, as well as by Joseph D Novak's ideas of 'concept mapping'. Others thought him little more than a good salesman, exuding confidence and backing up his 'pseudoscience' with an impressive and seductive range of facts and figures.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Serig |first=Dan |date=October 2011 |title=Research review: Beyond brainstorming: the mind map as art |journal=Teaching Artist Journal |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=249–257 |doi=10.1080/15411796.2011.604627 |s2cid=219642688 |quote=Tony Buzan claims to be the inventor of mind maps. While he may have coined the term, the idea that he invented them is quite preposterous if you have ever seen reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci's sketchbooks.}}</ref> the use of diagrams that visually "map" information using branching and [[Radial tree|radial maps]] traces back centuries.<ref name=Lima>{{cite book |last=Lima |first=Manuel |author-link=Manuel Lima |date=2014 |title=The Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge |location=New York |publisher=[[Princeton Architectural Press]] |isbn=9781616892180 |oclc=854611430 |url=https://archive.org/details/bookoftreesvisua0000lima |url-access=registration}}</ref> These pictorial methods record knowledge and model systems, and have a long history in learning, [[brainstorming]], [[memory]], [[visual thinking]], and [[problem solving]] by educators, engineers, psychologists, and others. Some of the earliest examples of such graphical records were developed by [[Porphyry of Tyros]], a noted thinker of the 3rd century, as he graphically visualized the concept [[Categories (Aristotle)|categories of Aristotle]].<ref name=Lima/> Philosopher [[Ramon Llull]] (1235–1315) also used such techniques.<ref name=Lima/>

Buzan's specific approach, and the introduction of the term "mind map", started with a 1974 [[BBC]] TV series he hosted, called ''Use Your Head''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Buzan|first=Tony |date=1974 |title=Use Your Head |location=London |publisher=BBC Books |isbn=0563107901 |oclc=16230234 |url=https://archive.org/details/useyourhead0000buza_t8g2 |url-access=registration}}</ref> In this show, and companion book series, Buzan promoted his conception of radial tree, diagramming key words in a colorful, radiant, tree-like structure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knowledgeboard.com/item/2980 |title=Buzan claims mind mapping his invention in interview |website=KnowledgeBoard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213000356/http://www.knowledgeboard.com/item/2980 |archive-date=2010-02-13}}</ref>

==Differences from other visualizations==
* ''[[Concept map]]s'': Mind maps differ from [[concept maps]] in that mind maps are based on a radial hierarchy ([[tree structure]]) denoting relationships with a central concept,<ref name=Lanzing>{{cite journal |last=Lanzing |first=Jan |date=January 1998 |title=Concept mapping: tools for echoing the minds eye |journal=Journal of Visual Literacy |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=1–14 (4) |doi=10.1080/23796529.1998.11674524 |quote=The difference between concept maps and mind maps is that a mind map has only one main concept, while a concept map may have several. This means that a mind map can be represented in a hierarchical tree structure.}}</ref> whereas concept maps can be more free-form, based on connections between concepts in more diverse patterns.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Romance |first1=Nancy R. |last2=Vitale |first2=Michael R. |date=Spring 1999 |title=Concept mapping as a tool for learning: broadening the framework for student-centered instruction |journal=[[College Teaching]] |volume=47 |issue=2 |pages=74–79 (78) |jstor=27558942 |doi=10.1080/87567559909595789 |quote=Shavelson et al. (1994) identified a number of variations of the general technique presented here for developing concept maps. These include whether (1) the map is hierarchical or free-form in nature, (2) the concepts are provided with or determined by the learner, (3) the students are provided with or develop their own structure for the map, (4) there is a limit on the number of lines connecting concepts, and (5) the connecting links must result in the formation of a complete sentence between two nodes.}}</ref> Also, concept maps typically have text labels on the links between nodes. However, either can be part of a larger [[personal knowledge base]] system.
* ''Modeling graphs'' or ''[[graphical modeling language]]s'': There is no rigorous right or wrong with mind maps, which rely on the arbitrariness of [[mnemonic]] associations to aid people's information organization and memory. In contrast, a modeling graph such as a [[UML diagram]] structures elements using a precise standardized iconography to aid the design of systems.

==Research==

===Effectiveness===
Cunningham (2005) conducted a user study in which 80% of the students thought "mindmapping helped them understand concepts and ideas in science".<ref name="Cunningham05">{{cite thesis| type=Ph.D.| first=Glennis Edge |last=Cunningham| title=Mindmapping: Its Effects on Student Achievement in High School Biology| year=2005| publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |citeseerx=10.1.1.399.5818 |hdl=2152/2410}}</ref> Other studies also report some subjective positive effects of the use of mind maps.<ref name="Holland2004">{{cite book| first1=Brian |last1=Holland|first2=Lynda |last2=Holland|first3=Jenny |last3=Davies| title=An investigation into the concept of mind mapping and the use of mind mapping software to support and improve student academic performance| year=2004 | publisher=University of Wolverhampton |hdl=2436/3707|isbn=9780954211646 }}</ref><ref name="Antoni2006">{{cite journal| author1=D'Antoni, A.V.
|author2= Zipp, G.P.| title=Applications of the Mind Map Learning Technique in Chiropractic Education: A Pilot Study and Literature| year=2006 |journal=Journal of Chiropractic Humanities |volume=13 |pages=2–11 |doi=10.1016/S1556-3499(13)60153-9}}</ref> Positive opinions on their effectiveness, however, were much more prominent among students of art and design than in students of computer and information technology, with 62.5% vs 34% (respectively) agreeing that they were able to understand concepts better with mind mapping software.<ref name="Holland2004" /> Farrand, Hussain, and Hennessy (2002) found that [[spider diagram]]s (similar to concept maps) had limited, but significant, impact on memory recall in undergraduate students (a 10% increase over baseline for a 600-word text only) as compared to preferred study methods (a 6% increase over baseline).<ref name= Farrand2002>{{cite journal |author=Farrand, P. |author2=Hussain, F. |author3=Hennessy, E.  |year=2002 |title=The efficacy of the mind map study technique |journal=Medical Education |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=426–431 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-2923.2002.01205.x |pmid=12028392|s2cid=29278241 }}</ref> This improvement was only robust after a week for those in the diagram group and there was a significant decrease in motivation compared to the subjects' preferred methods of [[Note-taking|note taking]]. A meta study about [[concept map]]ping concluded that concept mapping is more effective than "reading text passages, attending lectures, and participating in class discussions".<ref name="Nesbit06">{{cite journal| author1=Nesbit, J.C.|author2= Adesope, O.O.| title=Learning with concept and knowledge maps: A meta-analysis| journal=Review of Educational Research| year=2006| volume=76| number=3| pages=413–448| publisher=Sage Publications| doi=10.3102/00346543076003413|s2cid= 122082944|url= https://zenodo.org/record/894664}}</ref> The same study also concluded that concept mapping is slightly more effective "than other constructive activities such as writing summaries and outlines". However, results were inconsistent, with the authors noting "significant heterogeneity was found in most subsets". In addition, they concluded that low-ability students may benefit more from mind mapping than high-ability students.

===Features===
Joeran Beel and Stefan Langer conducted a comprehensive analysis of the content of mind maps.<ref name="Beel2011d">{{cite book |first1=Joeran |last1=Beel |first2=Stefan |last2=Langer |chapter=An Exploratory Analysis of Mind Maps| title=Proceedings of the 11th ACM Symposium on Document Engineering (DocEng'11)| year=2011| publisher=ACM| chapter-url=http://docear.org/papers/An%20Exploratory%20Analysis%20of%20Mind%20Maps%20--%20preprint.pdf |pages=81–84 |isbn=978-1-4503-0863-2 }}</ref> They analysed 19,379 mind maps from 11,179 users of the mind mapping applications [[:de:SciPlore MindMapping|SciPlore MindMapping]] (now [[:de:Docear|Docear]]) and [[MindMeister]]. Results include that average users create only a few mind maps (mean=2.7), average mind maps are rather small (31 nodes) with each node containing about three words (median). However, there were exceptions. One user created more than 200 mind maps, the largest mind map consisted of more than 50,000 nodes and the largest node contained ~7,500 words. The study also showed that between different mind mapping applications (Docear vs MindMeister) significant differences exist related to how users create mind maps.

===Automatic creation===
There have been some attempts to create mind maps automatically. Brucks & Schommer created mind maps automatically from full-text streams.<ref name="Brucks2008">{{cite arXiv |first1=Claudine |last1=Brucks |first2=Christoph |last2=Schommer| title=Assembling Actor-based Mind-Maps from Text Stream| year=2008| eprint=0810.4616| class=cs.CL}}</ref> Rothenberger et al. extracted the main story of a text and presented it as mind map.<ref name="Rothenberger2008">{{cite arXiv |author1=Rothenberger, T|author2= Oez, S|author3= Tahirovic, E|author4=Schommer, Christoph| title=Figuring out Actors in Text Streams: Using Collocations to establish Incremental Mind-maps| eprint=0803.2856| year=2008 |class= cs.CL}}</ref> There is also a patent application about automatically creating sub-topics in mind maps.<ref>{{cite patent|title=Software tool for creating outlines and mind maps that generates subtopics automatically|country=US|number=2009119584|status=application|pubdate=2009-05-07|inventor1-last=Herbst|inventor1-first=Steve}}, since abandoned.</ref>

==Tools==
[[List of concept- and mind-mapping software|Mind-mapping software]] can be used to organize large amounts of information, combining spatial organization, dynamic hierarchical structuring and node folding.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mindmapai.app/blog/43/complete-mind-mapping-basics |title=Complete Mind Mapping Basics |website=Mind Map AI |access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref>Software packages can extend the concept of mind-mapping by allowing individuals to map more than thoughts and ideas with information on their computers and the Internet, like spreadsheets, documents, Internet sites, images and videos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdevin.com/top-10-totally-free-mind-mapping-software-tools/|title=Top 10 Totally Free Mind Mapping Software Tools|last=Santos|first=Devin|date=15 February 2013|publisher=IMDevin|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807152823/http://www.imdevin.com/top-10-totally-free-mind-mapping-software-tools/|archive-date=7 August 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has been suggested that mind-mapping can improve learning/study efficiency up to 15% over conventional [[note-taking]].<ref name="Farrand2002" />

==Gallery==
The following dozen examples of mind maps show the range of styles that a mind map may take, from hand-drawn to computer-generated and from mostly text to highly illustrated. Despite their stylistic differences, all of the examples share a [[tree structure]] that hierarchically connects sub-topics to a main topic.
<gallery>
File:100 PM Team.png
File:A Mind Map on ICT and Pedagogy.jpg
File:Acid-base Disorders.png
File:Aspirin and other Salicylates(2).png
File:Branches of Brachial plexus.jpeg
File:Cranial nerves.PNG
File:Doing-things-differently-mind-map-paul-foreman.png
File:Economics Concepts - student flashcard.png
File:LighthouseMap.pdf
File:MindMapGuidlines.svg
File:Spray diagram Student learning characteristics.png
File:Tennis-mindmap.png
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Education}}
* {{annotated link|Concept map}}
* {{annotated link|Cluster analysis}}
* {{annotated link|Exquisite corpse}}
* {{annotated link|Graph (discrete mathematics)}}
* {{annotated link|Idea}}
* {{annotated link|Knowledge representation and reasoning}}
* {{annotated link|Mental literacy}}
* {{annotated link|Nodal organizational structure}}
* {{annotated link|Nomological network}}
* {{annotated link|Personal wiki}}
* {{annotated link|Rhizome (philosophy)}}
* {{annotated link|Semantic network}}
* {{annotated link|Social map}}
* {{annotated link|Spider mapping}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Mind maps}}

{{Group creativity techniques}}
{{Strategic planning tools}}
{{Mindmaps}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Knowledge representation]]
[[Category:Games of mental skill]]
[[Category:Design]]
[[Category:Educational technology]]
[[Category:Diagrams]]
[[Category:Note-taking]]
[[Category:Reading (process)]]
[[Category:Zoomable user interfaces]]
[[Category:Educational devices]]
[[Category:Methodology]]
[[Category:1970s neologisms]]
[[Category:Creativity techniques]]