If you are a university or college student, you probably take a lot of notes when you are attending classes or reading your text books. The main problem with taking notes the traditional way is that this is a very passive process. Simply taking notes does not get the brain very involved in interacting with the information. If you can get your brain to get more actively involved in organising the new material you will remember it better.

If you are strong in visual learning, you can benefit from making notes that include lots of graphs and drawings, even cartoons! The following technique is effective for people who are highly visual. This method of making notes is sometimes called ‘mind-mapping’ or making a ‘learning map’.

The essence of the learning-map technique is quite simple. You will need a blank piece of paper, the larger the better. You will need at least one pen, more if you want to use a variety of colours.

As you listen to the lecturer, or read the article you are studying, decide what you think the central theme is. For example, you might be listening to a lecture where you decide the central theme seems to be, ‘Conditions in Europe on the eve of World War 2’.

Once you have decided the central theme, jot down the words in the centre of the page, and draw a circle around the main theme. Don’t try to write down a sentence or a paragraph — just get down enough of the key words that will bring the ideas back into you mind.

When you come across the first major sub-theme, pick a spot on the page to jot down a few key words that sum up the sub-theme. Draw a circle around the sub-theme words, and then join your sub-theme circle to the main theme circle with a line.

Do this each time you come across a new major sub-theme. Eventually you will have a circle in the centre with several spokes radiating from it.

As the speaker or writer continues to present his ideas, you will find some of the ideas being presented are additional supporting details that clarify or illustrate one of the sub-themes you have already identified. In this case you will write these ‘sub-sub-themes’ down using just a few words, enclose them in a circle or squiggle, and link them to their sub-theme with a line.

Eventually your sub-theme circles may have many spokes radiating from them as the author or lecturer continues to present his ideas. At a glance you will be able to take in the dominant themes of the talk and the underlying organisational structure of the ideas.

If you happen to have any ideas of your own while you are reading or listening to the lecture, jot them down as well. This shows you have your brain actively interacting with the material.

When you make a mind map or a learning map of all your notes, you create a very visual document that differs a lot from traditional methods of making notes for class.