January 22, 2020 (Updated March 2nd, 2023)
6 ways to get exam ready with Mind Mapping
For students, the pressures of the exam period throughout school, college and university can be daunting. For students who need a helping hand juggling revision schedules or remembering key information for exams, Mind Mapping is a proven method for boosting organization, focus and recall ability.
Mind Mapping with software tools such as Ayoa allows you to capture your ideas and knowledge from a subject, and then turn these directly into tasks, such as ‘Create revision notes’, so you can track your progress with ease. You can also set Due Dates and Reminders to help you prioritize your to-do list and ensure nothing gets missed.
Mind Mapping for exam preparation can have a really positive impact on the information you learn and retain. Follow these 6 smart studying tips with Mind Mapping in Ayoa to help you combat exam stress and perform at your best.
Tip #1: Use your study time effectively
Knowing how to manage your time effectively is the key to studying success. To ensure that each subject gets the attention it needs, map out a revision timetable. Using a Mind Map to do this will provide you with a clear visual overview of your revision plan. By picking specific colors to categorize different subjects, you can bring order to your revision timetable, and feel confident that you’ve covered every subject.
Research suggests that students who take regular breaks retain more information, so aim to study in short bursts. When you take a break, we don’t mean checking your phone or social media accounts. To enjoy a truly restful break, get outside or cook some food, and give your brain time to recharge. By doing this, you will also give your unconscious mind the chance to incubate and absorb the knowledge that you have just learned.
With Mind Mapping in Ayoa, you can create a revision timetable in no time at all. With a range of colors, branch styles and images to bring your map to life, effortlessly export your completed Mind Map as a PDF image or text document to share with your friends. Or alternatively, print out your Mind Map and put it on your wall to refer back to and track your progress.
If you need a hand getting started, Ayoa also includes a number of Mind Map templates to help you get your map off the ground. For example, our ‘Revision Timetable’ template is broken down by week and day, so you can plan your revision clearly and with ease.
Tip #2: Wave goodbye to information overload
Instead of writing reams of linear notes, create a Mind Map for each subject you need to revise. Add a central idea to represent each subject, then draw main branches off from this to represent the information, facts, and figures that you need to remember. A Mind Map uses one keyword or phrase per branch, allowing you to condense entire classes or lectures onto one sheet, so all your notes stay together. Having one clear, visual resource to refer to makes managing large amounts of notes easy, allowing you to see connections between topics, facts, and ideas at a glance.
Tip #3: Speed up your note-taking
This one is a no-brainer. Use Mind Maps to take notes during your classes and avoid having to trawl through piles of old notes during the revision period. While your classmates are furiously scribbling down everything the teacher says, fire ideas down using single keywords on your Mind Map. Your clearly structured map will make a lot more sense than illegible lines of scribbles when you come back to them later. When the exam rolls around, refer to your Mind Map notes to jog your memory of each class in no time.
If you can take a laptop into class, Ayoa’s Speed Maps are ideal for quickly capturing notes. Fire facts and ideas into a limitless web, without worrying about formatting – Speed Maps automatically format your branches into different colors, so you can focus solely on capturing the information you need. The free-form structure of a Mind Map encourages you to think creatively, so you can explore your topic thoroughly. You can then seamlessly switch to Organic Mind Map View later to build on your ideas or add more creative formatting and styles to your map.
Tip #4: Mind the gap
Mind Maps allow you to drill deep into every aspect of your revision using radiating child branches. With all your revision notes clearly mapped out, you can visually identify any gaps in your knowledge. Simply look for the emptiest parts of your Mind Map and you will know where you need to focus more time and effort in your revision.
As your revision gets underway, you will start to add more branches to your Mind Maps. The limitless canvas in Ayoa gives you the freedom to add as many branches as you need without the restricted dimensions of a piece of paper. Plus, you can add attachments such as links, images, audio and video files to add depth to your revision and turn your map into a resource hub. These extra details will remain hidden until clicked on, keeping your workspace clutter-free.
Tip #5: Boost your engagement
The visual nature of Mind Mapping promotes better understanding and engagement. Plus, Mind Maps have the power to convey much more information than a word, sentence or even an essay. The colors, symbols, images and organic structure all appeal to the way the brain naturally likes to work. Mind Maps are, in fact, an image themselves; they are a colorful picture of your revision notes. Your brain can process the information in a Mind Map much quicker than linear notes, boosting the efficiency of your revision and your ability to recall your topics.
Make your Mind Maps more memorable by adding your own images to them. Or, choose from Ayoa’s extensive Unsplash image library for a memorable way to convey meaning.
Tip #6: Test your knowledge
To check that you have mastered your subjects, create a new Mind Map with only the main topic branches, and then try to fill in the rest from memory. The act of Mind Mapping using keywords, colors and imagery links the visual with the logical, thus increasing association, imagination and creativity – making it the perfect tool to improve memory. You should find that you have remembered more than you expected, and have maintained the connections between ideas – which is ideal for answering in-depth exam questions.
In Ayoa’s Mind Maps, you can use the Autohide feature to collapse and reveal branches and test your knowledge. The Mind Mapping technique helps students to unlock their potential through the power of visual learning. Revising with Ayoa is a fast and stress-free way to get exam ready, with a clear focus and A* organization.
Mind Mapping in Ayoa is here to help raise your chances of achieving better results – so you can go into your exams with confidence. Discover more here or get started with Ayoa for FREE.
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