Great Polymath Project | Mind Mapping Techniques | Day 9
"Mindmapping will make you realize what capacity your mind is given and will help you multiply its productivity"
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Mind Mapping Techniques
mind mapping came natural to me. look at this personal example, comparing an early linear note of half a page to an equivalent mind-map:
Early notes: half a Page worth of normal linear notes
Mind map: i drew this on a flight back to India
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learning this, I found four secrets of effective mind mapping that took me a while to figure out.
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Secret #1: Turn Mind Maps into Mind Mirrors
I originally treated mind mapping like normal note-taking, but found it ineffective.
Initial approach
- simplifying a few words,
- paraphrasing,
- shortening and abbreviating,
- adding lines and arrows
Discovered the concept of "mind mirror" in an old medical journal, where mind maps reflected the gaps in their understanding.
Embraced the idea of letting mind maps be messy and then progressively cleaning them up.
Impact: "able to visually see where there were gaps in my knowledge"
Benefit: "visually see the mistakes and the gaps for what it is"
"All the revision in the world will not save a bad first draft"
Secret #2: Never Get It Right on Your First Try
My Advice: don't be in a pursuit of creating a perfect mind map on the first attempt
Caution against perfectionism: "really mean it"
I suggest using mind mapping as a cognitive offload and refining ideas over multiple iterations
Approach: "put down some words, draw a few lines, think, come back to it later"
Outcome: "more engaged while reading or listening"
Famous Feynman Technique
Richard Feynman
- Nobel Prize winning physicist
- made significant contributions in areas such as quantum mechanics and particle physics
- Feynman thought of himself as “an ordinary person who studied hard”
- systematic way in which he identified the things he didn’t know
Connects the use of mind mapping as a cognitive offload with the benefits of the Feynman technique
- four-step process for understanding any topic
The Feynman technique suggests explaining a concept in a simple way to deepen understanding.
Mind mapping complements this technique as it simplifies complex terminology.
Using non-technical words that a child could understand can supercharge mind maps and aid in faster review of information.
Implementing this technique is impossible without first applying the first three secrets
- Explain it to yourself or teach it to someone else
- reading is not understanding
- We often nod to ourselves, thinking we’ve grasped a subject.
- After all, we’ve taken notes
- understanding requires a more active process like teaching
- makes it harder to trick yourself
- even harder to trick others
- Level 1
- Start out by formally teaching yourself.
- Write out a summary in your own words without looking at your notes. Or explain it to yourself out loud
- Spark debates with friends or colleagues
- Level 2
- Write tweet threads
- Answer questions on Quora
- Level 3
- Speak at a conference
- Volunteer as a tutor
- Produce a podcast
- Start a blog
- Return to the source material if you get stuck
- Getting it right will likely take several iterations
- This makes you actively engaged
- the more we learn, the more our capacity to learn increases
- Simplify your explanations and create your own analogies
- Simplicity is a proxy for understanding
- When we can’t rely on big words that make us sound smart
- we have to distill what we truly know to the most basic form
- Analogies are easier to recall and explain
Integration of the two techniques can make mind mapping the most powerful learning tool
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” – Richard Feynman
Secret #3: Learning from Mistakes
It's going to train my brain's ability to process and
- think about it
- if I keep pushing at it I will get to a point where my first go is just immaculate
- my first attempt is a lot better than I would have been able to do years ago
it's highly valuable: learning from mistakes and continuous improvement.
It is still impossible to get it right the first time
- trying to do that always leads to something that is lower quality
- and just more time consuming
Secret #4: Framing Bias in Learning
Framing bias
- the brain's tendency to judge information
- based on how it was presented or framed
- how framing bias can impact work and learning
- Framing Bias in Computer Science Learning:
Research Focus: Sandy's initial framing of the research topic on bias detection algorithms might influence their perspective towards primarily focusing on biases related to gender or race in datasets. This initial framing could lead to a tunnel vision regarding the types of biases considered in the study.
Confirmation Bias: Due to the initial framing, Sandy might subconsciously seek out examples and evidence that align with biases related to gender or race, while potentially overlooking other forms of bias that could be present in the data or algorithms under study. This confirmation bias can limit the depth and breadth of Sandy's research findings.
Impact on Algorithm Design: If Sandy's research is guided primarily by the framing bias towards gender or race biases, there is a risk of neglecting other critical factors that can introduce bias into AI systems, such as socioeconomic status, geographic location, or historical data imbalances. This can impact the accuracy and fairness of the bias detection algorithms developed.
Don't blindly accept the way information is presented
- learners should consider alternative frameworks that may be more intuitive for their brains
Bonus Secret #5: Importance of Intuitive Learning
if information needs to be memorized in order to be remembered, it may not be intuitive
- alternative ways of thinking about it should be explored
find ways of organizing information that feel more intuitive for you
- rather than relying solely on the presented method
Mind Mapping Tips
Mind mapping with the provided tips can lead to a completely different learning experience.
- Start with a Blank Page: Use a blank sheet of paper in landscape orientation to give yourself plenty of space to expand your ideas
- Central Image: Place a colorful central image in the middle of the page to represent the main topic. This helps engage your brain and makes the map more memorable
- Use Keywords: Write single keywords on each branch. Keywords trigger associations in your brain and keep your mind map concise
- Color Code: Use different colors for different branches. Colors help to categorize and differentiate ideas, making the mind map more visually appealing and easier to understand
- Use Images and Symbols: Incorporate images and symbols throughout your mind map. Visual elements can enhance memory and understanding
- Use Curved Lines: Draw branches with curved lines rather than straight ones. Curved lines are more engaging and mimic the natural flow of thoughts
- Review and Revise: Regularly review and update your mind map. This helps to reinforce the information and allows you to add new ideas as they come to mind
It may feel more challenging, but this indicates the brain's active engagement in the learning process.
Embracing the challenge results in better memory and depth of understanding.
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