Concept Map Builder

A concept map is the right tool when the relationships between ideas are what you need to learn, rather than the ideas themselves. Causes and effects in history, how organelles interact in a cell, how characters relate in a novel, how theorems build on each other in a math course: in each case, a list of the parts misses the point and a diagram captures it. For vocabulary, dates, or formulas, a list or a flashcard deck is faster.

Build the map from memory first, with your notes closed. Put the central idea in the middle, add the concepts you can remember, then draw the connections and, importantly, label each connection with the relationship ("causes," "is part of," "requires"). Only then open your notes and add what you missed. A map made this way is a recall exercise; a map copied from the textbook is just a prettier version of the textbook.

Come back to the map before a test and try to redraw it on paper without looking. The parts you cannot reproduce are the parts to study. The Cornell notes guide discusses when a map beats linear notes and when it does not.