Concept Mapping

1 | P a g e Created by Julie Anne Kent, Hons. B.A., M.L.I.S. Academic Librarian, March 2011/Updated October 2012

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

Information Capabilities Library Instruction – Information Literacy

Fig. 1. St. Aloysious College. See examples of

explicit mind maps and a wide variety of others for

use in specific subject areas:

http://www.sac.sa.edu.au/Library/Library/Topics/t

hinking_skills/program9.html

Concept Mapping

Concept mapping (and other visual information organization techniques) is a method used to represent information graphically as you organize or brainstorm concepts, identify hierarchies, and perhaps, find your way to higher-level, critical thinking. See fig.1.

Mind maps are used to summarize books, organize information for essays and articles, or brainstorm ideas.

This handout will guide you as you make concept maps and use other kinds of visual representations to organize information.

Here are some books on concept mapping and related subjects:

Collaborative Learning: Using Concept Mapping Authors: Patricia Lupion Torres, Rita de Cassia Veiga Marriott Available through Inter Library Loan (ILL). Ask a librarian for help requesting this book through our ILL service. Call number LB 1032 H367 2010

The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam Call Number HD 30.29 R636 2008

This book is on the second floor of the library.

http://www.sac.sa.edu.au/Library/Library/Topics/thinking_skills/program9.html

http://www.sac.sa.edu.au/Library/Library/Topics/thinking_skills/program9.html




Concept Mapping This tool is a dynamic and active learning strategy taking you from rote learning and memorization to critical thinking. You will be able to see all important ideas and concepts of your topic on one page – great for reviewing.

What is it? A graphical and visual way of organizing your ideas and showing where and how concepts are related or differentiated

Connected branches linking a central or core concept to subtopics and related ideas

Concepts and ideas are labelled by relationship, cause & effect, hierarchies, contraindications

Why use it?

A visual representation of organizing your ideas and showing where and how concepts are related or differentiated

Help you to identify what aspects of the concept you know well and where gaps in your knowledge appear

Clearly identifying relationships between ideas and concepts from which you can choose to focus or expand

How is it used?

Study and review for tests, exams, assignments

Demonstrate processes, relationships, systems

Brainstorming individually or in groups

Documenting prior knowledge, asking questions, organizing arguments, asking questions

Who can use it?

Anyone. Everyone.

Singularly or collectively

Corporate teams, college students, professionals, lay people, primary school students, teachers, etc.

How is it created?

Place central idea or concept in centere of page

Write down all known knowledge of concept on branches and lines radiated from central idea

Organize ideas according to importance, hierarchy, association, differences, etc.

Use images, different fonts, colours, etc.

Indicate where possible equations, explanations, definitions, synonyms




CONNECTIVE TISSUE CONCEPT MAP This concept map was created collaboratively over several days for the purpose of consolidation and review.

Created by Learning Commons Peer Helpers: Kaïssa de Boer, Melissa Harvey and Ian Wagg © 2010

Then what?

Analyse and assess your map as you create it

Look to see how the ideas fit together

Is your core concept or research question accurately defined or stated?

Have I looked in reference books, my class and lab notes, etc. for associating ideas and words?

Have I used colours and images to sufficiently indicate conditions, relevancy, logic, and other details?

Where are the most confusing sections of the map and how can I better organize and clarify those points?




Documents

Concept Mapping