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Mind Maps - Vocabulary Lesson

Okay, Effortless English members, welcome to the Mind Maps Vocabulary discussion. Let’s get started right away.

Diagram is our first word. A diagram is a drawing or a graph of information or for information. So, it’s not just any drawing, a drawing of a person is not a diagram. A diagram shows information.

Okay, we see the phrase linked to, linked to. It means connected to. If items are linked to each other they are connected to each other.

Next, we see the word radially, that in the mind map information is arranged radially. Radially means in a circle, in a circular way, like a circle, around. So, that’s radially, arranged in a circular way, radially.

In the next sentence, we see the word generate, to generate. Mind maps generate new ideas. That means to make or to create. To generate.

The word structure means, used as a verb to structure something, means to organize it. So mind maps can be used to structure ideas, to organize ideas.

And classify, used as a verb, to classify ideas, also has a similar meaning as organize. Structure, organize, classify these are all similar. Classify actually means to put things in groups, put ideas or things into groups that are similar. So, for example, we classify a dog as a mammal, it’s in the mammal group with other mammals, other creatures that have hair.

Okay, we see the word semantic in the next paragraph. A mind map represents semantic information. Semantic means meaning, related to words and meaning, about meaning, about words and meaning.

So, mind maps, they use a lot of words in mind maps, and mind maps organize ideas, they organize meaning. That’s what mind maps do.

Okay, we see the word portions, in this same sentence. Mind maps organize portions of information. A portion is a piece, so portion of information is a piece of information or a part of information.

Alright, we see the word non-linear. Mind maps are non-linear. Non-linear means not in a straight line. So linear means straight line, in a straight line, comes from the word line, linear. Non-linear, not in a straight line.

That’s same thing, we see non-linear graphical manner, mind maps are also graphical. Graphical is quite similar to diagram, except graphical is an adjective. Graphical means with images, with pictures.

Alright, we see the word brainstorming in the same sentence. Mind maps encourage brainstorming, in fact mind maps are a good way to brainstorm. Brainstorming or to brainstorm means to think a lot of ideas very quickly, trying to be creative.

So you just think as fast as you can and you write down your ideas one after the other after the other. You don’t stop, you don’t pause to think about the ideas. You don’t judge the ideas. You just write them down as fast as possible. We call that process brainstorming. We also use it as a verb, to brainstorm.

Alright, we see the word, in the next paragraph, intuitively. Mind maps organize information intuitively. Intuitively means naturally, and to be more specific, intuitively means in an instinctual way, coming from instinct. It means not from conscience thought. Means you don’t think about it first and plan it. It comes from right side of your brain.

Intuitively, it means you kind of feel what is correct and you follow your feeling. If you’ve watched Star Wars, “Use the force, Luke!”, that’s basically an intuitive way of doing something. You use the force, you follow your deep feeling, instead of thinking too much. So, mind maps are very intuitive, they’re used intuitively.

Right, the same sentence, I mean the same paragraph, we see the word recall. Mind maps can aid, can help recall of memories. Recall means remembering or memory. So it helps memory. Mind maps can help memory. If you start doing a mind map, it can help you remember things that you thought you forgot.

The next paragraph, we say mind maps have many applications. An application is a use, so it means they have many uses, many ways to use them, many applications. That’s why a software is sometimes called an application. It means something that is used to do something, application.

Alright, at the bottom of that paragraph, we see the word mnemonic. We’ve had that one before in the past learning guide, in the past article. A mnemonic technique. Mind maps can be a mnemonic technique. Mnemonic means to help memory, something that helps memory, something that helps you remember something else. So a mnemonic. A mind map is a mnemonic. It’s a tool, it’s a technique that helps memory, it’s a mnemonic.

Alright, at the end of that paragraph, we see the verb to collaborate. Mind maps are also used to collaborate with other people. You can do a mind map in a group. Everybody can yell out their ideas and one person can write down the mind map on a white board maybe. So, you can collaborate. To collaborate means to work together. It means two or more people working together.

So, you say, I collaborated on… and we usually say on or with, you collaborate on a project, you collaborate with other people. So, you say, “I collaborated with my friend to make this article”. It means we both worked together to make this article, we collaborated, we worked together.

Alright, next paragraph. Mind maps can help you retain information. Retain means keep. To retain something means to keep it, you already have it and you keep it, you retain it. Sometimes, such as this case, we sometimes use retain to mean remember. So if you retain information, it means you remember the information. You keep the information in your brain.

Alright, we see the word rough notes in the next paragraph, the phrase rough notes. Mind maps can be drawn by hand as rough notes, or they could be quite sophisticated, you can use software to do mind maps. Rough notes, rough, of course, rough has a meaning, means not smooth. But rough also means not planned, not edited.

For example, when you first write an article, when you’re writing a paper, the first time you write we call that a rough draft, a rough draft. It means you have not edited, you didn’t worry about making mistakes, you haven’t corrected your mistakes, you haven’t used spell check yet. It’s your rough draft, it’s your first draft, your first time.

And then you’ll write it again a couple times, you’ll check your mistakes, you’ll correct your mistakes. So, the rough draft is the first time you do something. Rough note just means you’re quickly writing, you’re not worrying about mistakes or you’re not worrying how it looks. So it’s not planned very well.

Alright, in the next page, we see some guidelines, some rules. Guideline is a rule. Guideline is more loose, a rule is kind of strict, kind of tough. A rule is something you must do. A guideline is something you might want to do or you should probably do. So, it’s less strong. A guideline is less strong than a rule.

So, then we’ve got a list of guidelines, some ideas how to do a mind map. Some basic rules you might want to follow. One of the rules, rule number five uses the word organic. It says the lines on the mind map, the structure, the organization should be organic.

Organic has… depends on the situation, Organic has several meanings. But in general organic means natural, and in fact, it really means biological, coming from life. Now, there are more specific meanings, in science and chemistry, organic can have a different meaning. But in general use, organic means natural or coming from natural life.

Alrighty, and finally, the last one, number ten, we see… oh let’s go number nine first actually. We see the word associations. It says use associations, show associations in your mind map. In this case, associations means connections, or relations, or relationships, right? Associations means you’re connected somehow to somebody or something.

Alright, and finally the last one number ten, we see radial hierarchy, radial hierarchy. Hierarchy is similar to structure. It means, you know, hierarchy shows what is the most important thing and then what’s next and what’s next. If you’re talking about a company, you might say who’s the most, the top person, the president, the CEO and then the wise president and then other regional presidents and etc. So, this is the structure.

A radial hierarchy means it’s in a circle, the organization is in a circle. Nobody is at the top, or in this case, nothing is at the top, right? You have something in the middle, your main idea and you have many other ideas, lots of other information surrounding it, around it. But nothing is more important than anything else. That’s radial hierarchy, circular hierarchy. Remember radial means in a circle or like a circle.

Alright, that’s it. I suggest you listen to this vocabulary lesson a few times. If you’re an advanced student, maybe one time is enough. If you’re not a really advanced student, you probably should listen several times, so that you get a general feeling a general idea about the vocabulary. After that, listen to the mini-story lessen.

Okay, see you next time. Bye-bye