Not just students, just about everyone invariably have to take down notes at some point or the other. The conventional method of writing is the linear way, where every point is faithfully written in full sentences, taking care of meaning, syntax and commas, etc. This does not help us in effective note taking as we struggle to keep pace with the speaker or our racing thoughts in quickly writing down the information.

But with Mind Maps, it can be an entirely different story. You will learn a whole new way of tackling note taking You can just race ahead and whats more, keep pace with your running thoughts. So what is so special about it that writing becomes so easy? The power of Mind Maps lies in that information is held in a format your mind will find easy to remember and quick to review.

First, Mind Mapping technique uses non-linear method of key words or phrases instead of long, running sentences. Mind Map provides a two-dimensional structure, where the primary, secondary and other levels of thoughts or ideas are laid out, so the flow of thoughts, and relation between different levels of thoughts are clearly brought out.

A complete Mind Map will have the main topic lines radiating in all directions from the center. Sub-topics flowing from the main heading will be linked like branches of a tree to the main trunk. Just exploring your thoughts and putting them down in single word will automatically create different levels so the whole thinking process gets projected.

Since Mind Maps is essentially about noting the most precise points, it is compact, occupying less amount of space, while providing a comprehensive picture of the whole subject at a glance. If you find that you need to include more points, you can easily integrate them with little disruption.

Mind Maps are of great value for:

* summarizing a set of information

* consolidating multifarious information

* thinking through complex problems and

* presenting information, where the structure and flow of your subject is categorically clear

Mind Maps are also very easy to review, as you can simply refresh information by just glancing through the Mind Map. The format of the Mind Map aids in capturing the full essence of the subject at a glance.

In addition, Mind Maps are highly effective as mnemonics. It is easy to remember the shape and structure of a Mind Map since you are totally involved in putting them down. So you are aware of your thoughts on a particular part of the Mind Map.

Besides, colors, pictures and symbols form a vital part of Mind Maps. Colors help to distinguish between different aspects of the subject and also show their organization, apart from helping to visualize the Mind Maps for recall. Further, pictures and symbols aid in remembering information more effectively than words. Also, lines or symbols are used in Mind Maps to show cross-linkages of one part to another. This helps you to see the connection among the various elements easily.

Above all, your Mind Maps are your own prized possession. Once you learn how to use Mind Map, you can develop your own style to make them meaningful. While you can use your hand to draw Mind Maps, you now have software tools to help you produce top quality Mind Maps that can be easily edited and reworked. All these and more make a strong case for you to learn Mind Map and use them for effective note taking. The most significant point is that Mind Maps have a great deal of application in various aspects of our activities and not confined to just note-taking.