Starting in the center of the paper, draw a vivid, colorful image or symbol that represents your topic.
Draw lines radiating from the central image. On each of the lines, print a single key term associated with the topic.
Free-associate with each key word, writing down secondary ideas that relate to each term. Write short phrases or single words near the relevant key term, and draw lines to connect these new ideas to their source.
Add colors and pictures to illustrate important ideas. Use color to code your work: for example, outlining the most important points in red, and using blue for sub-points.
Once you think you have gotten down all the important information, look at the entire mind map, seeing connections and looking for anything important you may have left out.
Consider redrawing the mind map, eliminating any irrelevant tangents, and printing neatly and deliberately, once the work of free-association is complete.