Information mapping, also known as mind and concept mapping, is a useful tool for a student. It provides an alternate form of learning instead of the frequently used outline or paragraph methods of study.

The first step in mapping is to come up with prime words and ideas. It is a good idea to use a pencil and notes. Think about the most important word regarding what you are studying. Write it down and put it in the center of your paper. As you come across other words and concepts, write them down in a circle around the main word.

Step back a minute and think about all that you have written and their relationship to the prime word as well as their relationship to each other. Edit the words. You may want to erase some and possibly add others. Put them together in different forms if it will make more sense. The words do not have to stay in the first place that you put them.

You want to continue to add to the prime word. Keep expanding your ideas out in a larger circle around the word. Let your mind wander and make connections. As the circle gets larger, the words and ideas used need to become more specific.

Always set the map to the side for a few minutes or an evening, and then go back to it. You may unconsciously think of new relationships, or you may develop an understanding of a relationship already given. This map is yours; you do not have to show it to anyone else. Develop it to help you to study and understand your subject matter.