Creating a desire to reach a goal and a belief to achieve it will motivate the mind for learning. Thinking positively promotes learning and the retention of information. Understanding your learning style and information processing type will help in structuring and enhancing mind maps to learn effectively with the whole brain. Speed reading, through material beforehand, provides an outline and structure for note taking. In addition to the material outline, include existing knowledge or questions pertaining to the topic. Central idea(s) or titles should be prominently placed in the center of the page and circled. Main subheadings branch out from the central idea like a tree branch. Subheadings branch out into additional facts or ideas.
Speed reading teaches the mind to receive information in clumps. Used effectively, speed reading and comprehension, with only a glance at a page, will improve learning skills. Information and notes are incorporated into the mind map, linking ideas and concepts to the outline as cues. Branch tips contain additional subheadings that list brief summaries and answers.
Retaining information requires an understanding or a relationship. Building the mind map foundation with visual symbols cues the mind to link keywords or phrases with ideas and concepts. Graphics, images and colors separate and emphasize ideas and confirm understanding of information, making it easier to remember and connect ideas. Symbolic link nodes expand and support branched key phrases with files and additional notes. Boundaries identify and segment information without interlinked relationships. Auditory cues from mnemonics and patterned sounds further contribute to information retention. Listening to music, particularly Baroque, assists with the ability to retain while organizing and recalling information due to the similar sound pattern within the brain.
Mind mapping develops the brain's ability for photographic recall. The visual cues introduced are connected to individual perceptions and connections, effectively triggering the memory. Introducing the mind maps for review at regular intervals increases the probability of retaining the knowledge for rapid recall in the brain's long-term storage memory.
Implementing the enhanced mind mapping techniques based on individual learning styles will increase the effectiveness of study skills. Exhibiting knowledge, through examinations and discussions, allows for analysis of thorough comprehension and mind mapping technique success.