The most effective speed-reading skills in the world need a note taking technique that supports them rather than, like linear minded studying techniques, one that is time-consuming and ineffective. The Mind Map method of information storage and retrieval follows the same principles as speed reading, and it has been designed to work in synergy with your brain, which means that your knowledge levels will increase the more you use them.

A valid note-taking method must incorporate:

1 Planning, focus and preview.
2 Clear recognition, assimilation and comprehension of facts.
3 A reflection of existing levels of knowledge.
4 Away of retaining information.
S Ease of recall.
6 An easy form of communicating the information.

A Mind Map fulfils all these criteria. Effective note-taking is not about slavishly reproducing everything that has been said; it is a selective process. It should minimize the number of words written down and maximize the amount of information recalled. Mind Maps help you achieve precisely that.

Disadvantages of ‘normal’ note-taking

A tendency to take indiscriminate notes without Preview, which means that the overall focus and intent are lost.

A preoccupation with ‘getting everything down’ on paper, which prevents ongoing critical analysis and appreciation of the subject matter.

Detailed note-taking bypasses the mind and distracts the listener who then misses what is really being said. (Just as it is possible to copy-type thousands of words of text without reading it.)

The volume of notes tends to become so great that the notetaker feels disinclined to refer back to them, or can make no sense of them, and has to begin again.

Key Words and Key Images revisited

The crucial element in effective note-taking is the selection of appropriate Key Words and Key Images that encapsulate the essence of everything you have read. These have already been described in previous articles, but to re-iterate at this crucial juncture:

The Key Words in your Mind Map:
1 Must trigger the right kind of memory.
2 Should not be too descriptive, abstract or general to be
practical.
3 Must evoke a very specific image in your mind.
4 Must be personally satisfying.
5 Must have the ability to summarize information.

In Mind Map notes, instead of taking down whole sentences or making lists, a combination of Key Words and Key Images is used to capture the essence of the information and to act as precise memory triggers to recall the information.

As you build up your Mind Map, so your brain creates an integrated map of the whole of the territory you are recording  Your BOST Mind Map therefore becomes a multi-dimensional note from your own brain that reproduces all you want to remember in a unique fashion. It is a powerful graphic technique that harnesses the power of your brain to the full and unlocks your true potential. Mind Maps work with your memory, to make it easy for you to recall information on demand.

Video Tutorial On Mind Mapping And Note Taking