6 ways to get exam ready with Mind Mapping and iMindMap

6 ways to get exam ready with Mind Mapping and iMindMap

May 24th, 2017 by iMindMap

Right now, the pressure is on as university, high school and college students are in the middle of the exam period. For students who need a helping hand juggling revision schedules or remembering key information, Mind Mapping is a proven method for boosting organisation, focus and recall ability. Follow these 6 smart studying tips with Mind Mapping and iMindMap to help you combat exam stress and perform at your best.

#Tip 1: Use your study time effectively.

Knowing how to manage your time effectively is the key to studying success. To ensure that each subject gets the attention it needs, map out a revision timetable. Your Mind Map will provide a clear visual overview of your revision plan. By picking specific colours to categorise different subjects, you can bring order to your revision timetable, and feel confident that you’ve covered every subject.

Research suggests that students who take regular breaks retain more information, so aim to study in short bursts. When you take a break, we don’t mean checking your phone or social media accounts. Enjoy a truly restful break, get outside or cook some food, and give your brain time to recharge.

With iMindMap’s Mind Map View, you can create a revision timetable in no time at all. Print out your Mind Map and put it on the wall to refer to and track your progress. Or, effortlessly export your Mind Map timetable as a Word Document, PowerPoint, PDF or image, and share it with friends.

#Tip 2: Wave goodbye to information overload

Instead of writing reams of linear notes, create a Mind Map for each subject you need to revise. Add a central idea to represent every subject, and draw main branches to represent the information, facts and figures that you need to remember. A Mind Map uses one word per branch to condense entire classes or lectures onto one sheet, keeping all your notes together. With a clear visual overview, you can see connections between topics, facts and ideas at a glance. Having one visual resource to refer to makes managing large amounts of notes easy.

#Tip 3: Speed up your note-taking

This one is a no-brainer – Use Mind Maps to take notes during your classes and avoid having to trawl through piles of old notes during the revision period. Whilst your classmates are furiously scribbling down everything the teacher says, fire ideas down using single keywords on your Mind Map. Your clearly structured map will make a lot more sense than their illegible lines of scribbles afterwards. When the exam rolls around, refer to your Mind Map notes to jog your memory of each class in no time.

If you can take a laptop into class, iMindMap’s Fast Capture View is ideal for quickly capturing notes. Fire facts and ideas into a web of limitless bubbles, without worrying about formatting. The free-form structure encourages you to think creatively, so you can explore your topic thoroughly. You can seamlessly switch to the Mind Map View later to build on your ideas.

#Tip 4: Mind the gap

Mind Maps allow you to drill deep into every aspect of your revision using radiating child branches. With all your revision notes clearly mapped out, you can visually identify where the gaps in your knowledge are. Simply look for the emptiest parts of your Mind Map and you will know where you need to focus more time and effort in your revision.

As your revision gets under way, you will start to add more branches to your Mind Maps. The limitless canvas in iMindMap gives you the freedom to add as many branches as you need without the restricted dimensions of a piece of paper. Plus, you can add attachments such as links, images, notes, audio and video files to add depth to your revision and create a resource hub. These extra details will remain hidden until clicked on, keeping your workspace clutter-free.

#Tip 5: Boost your engagement

The visual nature of Mind Mapping promotes better understanding and engagement. Plus, Mind Maps have the power to convey much more information than a word, sentence or even an essay. The colours, symbols, images and organic structure all appeal to the way the brain naturally likes to work. Mind Maps are, in fact, an image themselves; they are a colourful picture of your revision notes. Your brain can process the information in a Mind Map much quicker than linear notes, boosting the efficiency of your revision and your ability to recall your topics.

Make your Mind Maps more memorable by adding images and symbols to them. Or, choose from iMindMap’s extensive Image and Icon library for a memorable way to convey meaning.

#Tip 6: Test your knowledge

To check that you have mastered your subjects, create a new Mind Map with only the main topic branches, and then try to fill in the rest from memory. The act of Mind Mapping using keywords, colours and imagery links the visual with the logical and increases association, imagination and creativity, so it is the perfect tool to improve memory. You should find that you have remembered more than you expected, and maintained the connections between ideas – ideal for answering in-depth exam questions.

In iMindMap’s Mind Map View, you can use the Expand and Collapse feature to hide and reveal branches and test your knowledge. Alternatively, Flashcards in iMindMap’s Brainstorm View are another useful way to hide extra information and test your memory.

The Mind Mapping technique helps students to unlock their potential through the power of visual learning. Revising with iMindMap is a fast and stress-free way to get exam ready, with a clear focus and A* organisation.

Md. Nasir Khan

Director

Central Academic Research & Development

(CARD), Manipur Creative School

ThinkBuzan Licensed Instructor

MindMap, iMindMap, MemorySkills,

SpeedReading & CreativeTeaching

: @smart_nasirkhan