The main purpose of mind mapping, according to Davies is to create an association between ideas.
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This is based on the tree branch structure of the mind map with its interrelated information. Mind mapping is also used to brainstorm a
topic, idea or story which is believed as a great strategy for students.
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3. The Steps of Mind Mapping
There are several steps to construct a mind map. According to Buzan, making a mind map is easy. There are five steps which are explained as follow:
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a. Preparation. Students have to prepare a blank sheet and some coloured pens. They have to
make sure that they have enough space to construct a mind map, so it’s better to placed the paper sideways.
b. Drawing the main idea. The students should start from the middle by drawing a picture or symbol that
represent the main idea of the narrative text. Starting from the middle will help the students to freely put branches of information to any directions.
c. Adding supporting ideas. From the main idea in the center of the page, the students can start drawing
some thick branches that represent supporting ideas of the main topic. These branches are the main sub-topic of the text. the students have to make sure
that the branches are connected to the main idea. d. Giving name to each branches.
The students have to name each branches that they made with an idea related to the narrative text that they read. They can also add small picture if they
want. The name on the branches are the important keyword that will help the to recall their understanding about the story.
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Davies, op. cit., p. 3.
71
Writing Centre Learning Guide of the University of Adelaide, op. cit., p. 1.
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Buzan, op. cit., p. 10.
e. Adding more ideas. To add some additional details, the students can draw other lines that
connected to the branches that they have made. Then, they can give a name to each of those additional details. As the result, this mind map will look like a
branches of tree. On a condition where the student are doing a test about narrative text with a
time limit, the students should not make a complete mind map for every narrative text on the test. It is because the focus is to make the students easier finding
information that they need to answer the questions. Moreover, the tidiness of the mind map constructed is less concerned than the information written on the mind
map. Therefore, using only one coloured pen and not drawing any pictures or symbols are permitted. It is because the students have to construct the mind map
quickly and at the same time answering the question on the test. To make a mind map, the students should be given a clear overview about
how exactly a mind map looks like especially if mind mapping is a new material in the classroom. Because, if the teacher only explain theoretically, the students
may misunderstand about the concept. Therefore, Buzan provided a handy check map to help the students started their own mind map. The check map is depicted
as follow:
Figure 2.1 A Handy Check Map to Construct a Mind Map
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73
Buzan, op. cit., p. 22.
4. The Advantages of Mind Mapping Technique
Mind mapping technique has several advantages. According to Murley, the arrangement of information in a mind map makes the relation of each information
easier to see.
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It is because the construction of mind map is always started from the middle. So, the relation of each ideas can be easily tracked by following the
branch to the middle or out from the middle —main idea. Most students like
making a mind map, because it is fun.
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Moreover, Hofland said that making mind map saves time especially when the students have mastered the technique.
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Buzan, on his book, stated that mind mapping has a number of advantages compared to the linear form of written text which are explained as follow:
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a. The main idea is more clearly defined as it is presented in the center of the page using a picture or symbol.
b. The importance of each idea is clearly seen, because the branches of ideas which are closer to the main idea or to the center make them more important
than other branches which is put far from the main idea. c. The form of a tree branches makes it easier to recognize the connection of
each ideas. This is because each branches only has one word as a keyword to represent an idea.
d. Recalling and reviewing the information will be both more effective and more rapid as there are only keywords that lead to particular information. To see a
keyword will save more time than reading one long complete sentence. e. The nature of the structure makes it easier to add some new information
without ruining the structure of the mind map and or other information. The starting point which is at the middle leaves lots of space to possibly add other
ideas.
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Diane Murley, Mind Mapping Complex Information, Law Library Journal vol. 991, 2007, p. 176.
75
Hofland, op. cit., p. 30.
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Ibid.
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Buzan, op. cit., pp. 91 — 92.
