Mind Mapping

Mind maps can be used to:

• Summarize information
• Convey information from different sources
• Think throught complex problems
• Present information in a format that shows the overall structure of a subject. ^[1]

Step by Step

• Take a blank paper and write down the starting concept or idea, wherever you want. Usually it's good to start in the center of the paper, so that you have 360 degrees of freedom to continue your drawing.
• Be open and have a creative attitude, trying to let ideas flow and to write all of them.
• Free associate without limitating your ideas, you can always add new branches and write more information.
• Try to capture all your ideas as rapidly as possible.
• Don't make any judgement, write everything you are thinking to.
• Allow organization, once all the idea has been added you can create links with the ones you left apart, and change the structure of your map.
• Experiment with different ways of linking and emphasising different aspects, for example using colours and highlighters.

Practical Tips

• Use single words or simple phrases, they can convey the same meaning of a long sentence but they are more potent.
• Use coulours to separate different concepts, this will make the map easy to remember and will help showing the organization of the subject.
• Use symbols and images, that are easier to remember the words.
• Use corss linkages, since information in one part of the drawing may relate with other on the other side of it.

In the following list you can find different software that allow you to creat mind map. They are all open source software.

Freemind

Source:

http://freeming.sourceforge.net

Description:

• Software to download (10.4MB)
• Possibility to link documents and external web-sites
• Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other

CMAP Tools

Source:

http://cmap.ihmc.us

Description:

• Software to download (63 MB)
• Possibility to link documents and external web-sites
• Free structure, it can be developed in vertical or horizontal. Two nodes far from each other can be connected. There is supposed to be a label on every connection between two nodes

Mindmeister

Source:

http://www.mindmeister.com

Description:

• Available in two versions : Basic one for free, Premium is to pay
• On-line application, not available when offline
• Possibility to link documents and external web-sites
• Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other

Bubbl.us

Source:

http://bubbl.us

Decription:

• On-line application, not available when offline
• Impossible to link documents, only link to external web-sites is permitted
• Free structure, it can be developed in vertical or horizontal. Two nodes far from each other can be connected.

VUE

Source:

http://vue.tufts.edu

Description:

• Software to download (58.1 MB)
• Possibility to link documents and external web-sites
• Free structure, it can be developed in vertical or horizontal. Two nodes far from each other can be connected. There is the possibility to add a label on every connection between two nodes

Compendium

Source:

http://compendium.open.ac.uk/institute

Description:

• Software to download(32.28 Kb)
• Possibility to link documents and external web-sites
• Free structure, it can be developed in vertical or horizontal. Two nodes far from each other can be connected. Every node has to belong to a category (question, decision, argument, idea...)

Wisemapping

Source:

http://www.wisemapping.com

Description:

• On-line application, not available when off-line
• Impossible to link documents, only link to external web-sites is permitted
• Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other

Mind 42

Source:

http://www.mind42.com

Description:

• On-line application, not available when off-line
• Impossible to link documents, only link to external web-sites is permitted
• Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other