the research concept map

Concept Mapping for Research Projects

Introduction

What is concept mapping in research, what is the purpose of concept mapping, examples of concept maps, how are concept maps used in research, benefits of a concept map, what is the concept mapping process.

Concept mapping is a straightforward yet powerful technique that offers a bird's eye view of scientific knowledge and connections between ideas. Through concept mapping, research can be systematically arranged to allow researchers to analyze complex topics, making it easier to see how different concepts relate to one another.

It transforms abstract thoughts into a clear, visual representation of scientific knowledge, acting as a practical tool for bridging brainstorming and detailed data analysis . Concept mapping is especially beneficial for uncovering relationships between concepts that may not be immediately obvious.

This article outlines what the concept mapping process entails, its purposes, and its advantages. It also provides a step-by-step guide on creating concept maps for your research project, supplemented with examples.

Concept mapping for qualitative studies is a valuable tool that allows researchers to visualize the relationships between different ideas, concepts, or pieces of information. It involves creating a diagram that showcases how various elements are interconnected, often revealing patterns, hierarchies, and associations that might not be evident through text alone. The map starts with a central idea or question and branches out to show how subsidiary ideas connect to it and to each other.

This technique is grounded in the cognitive sciences, reflecting how the brain organizes and structures knowledge. By mapping out concepts, researchers can more easily comprehend the scope of a project, identify gaps in knowledge, and determine the direction of their inquiry. It serves not just as a method for organizing thoughts but also as a tool for critical thinking and analysis.

In the context of research, concept mapping can be used at various stages of a project. Initially, it can help in formulating a research question or questions by visually exploring the key themes and variables involved. Throughout the research process, concept maps can be adapted and expanded to incorporate new findings and insights, making them dynamic tools for understanding and communication.

Moreover, concept mapping fosters collaboration among research team members, providing a shared visual language that can bridge disciplinary divides. It can visually present complex ideas, making discussions more productive and helping to align the team’s understanding and approach.

A concept map shows scientific knowledge in an organized manner. Moreover, it serves as a multifaceted tool designed to enhance comprehension, communication, and collaboration in research. At its core, concept mapping aims to clarify complex ideas and relationships, making abstract concepts more accessible and understandable. This clarity is achieved by visually representing ideas, which helps researchers and stakeholders alike grasp the breadth and depth of a project more intuitively.

One primary objective of concept mapping is to foster critical thinking and analytical skills regarding a particular research topic . By visually laying out the connections between concepts, researchers are encouraged to explore and question the nature of these relationships, potentially uncovering new insights or identifying underlying assumptions. This process promotes a more thorough examination of the subject matter, encouraging a deeper engagement with the material.

Furthermore, using concept maps can aid in the identification of gaps in knowledge. By organizing concepts visually, it becomes easier to spot areas that are underexplored or lacking in evidence. This can guide future research directions, ensuring that efforts are focused on filling these gaps and advancing understanding of the topic.

Another significant purpose of concept mapping is to enhance collaboration among researchers. By providing a clear and shared visual representation of a project’s structure, concept maps facilitate communication among team members, regardless of their disciplinary backgrounds. This shared understanding helps to align research efforts, streamline decision-making processes, and encourage collaborative problem-solving.

Concept maps are versatile tools that can be applied across diverse research areas to clarify complex ideas and foster deeper understanding. Below are conceptual examples from different domains, showcasing how concept maps can be tailored to specific research needs.

Environmental science

Imagine a study that employs mind mapping to focus on the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems. Researchers could use concept mapping to illustrate the intricate relationships between species, habitats, and environmental stressors. The map might center on "Coastal Ecosystems," branching out to related concepts like "Sea Level Rise," "Salinity Changes," and "Species Migration." This visual representation could help in understanding the multifaceted effects of climate change, guiding conservation efforts and policy development.

In exploring factors that influence student motivation, educational researchers might create a concept map to visualize connections between the classroom environment, teaching methods, and student engagement. Key elements such as "Active Learning," "Feedback," and "Classroom Climate" could be linked to impact "Student Motivation." This concept map could serve as a foundation for strategies to boost engagement and learning outcomes, demonstrating concept mapping's applicability in educational interventions.

Health sciences

For a study on Alzheimer's disease progression, a concept map could delineate complex pathways leading to neuronal degeneration. Featuring "Alzheimer's Disease" at its center, branches could extend to "Genetic Factors," "Environmental Influences," and "Biochemical Processes." This approach might identify potential therapeutic targets and help address health challenges.

Technology and business

Researching how small businesses adopt new technologies could involve a concept map exploring decision-making factors. The central theme "Technology Adoption" might connect to "Cost-Benefit Analysis," "Organizational Culture," "Market Trends," and "Regulatory Environment." This method could capture the multifaceted nature of technology adoption decisions, aiding in the development of supportive strategies for small businesses.

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Concept maps are utilized in research to facilitate a range of critical activities, from the initial stages of project planning to the dissemination of research findings. Their use enhances the clarity, organization, and effectiveness of research efforts in several key ways.

At the outset of a research project, a concept map can help in defining the scope and objectives. Researchers can use a concept map to identify and visually represent the main themes and questions their project will address. This early visualization aids in pinpointing the focus areas and can highlight potential research questions or hypotheses that warrant further exploration.

Throughout the research process, concept maps serve as dynamic tools for organizing and synthesizing information. As new data is collected and analyzed, the concept map can be updated to reflect new insights, connections between concepts, and emerging patterns. This ongoing adjustment helps researchers maintain a clear overview of their project, ensuring that their data analysis remains structured and focused.

Concept maps also play a crucial role in identifying relationships between variables and in revealing gaps in existing knowledge. By laying out the known connections and highlighting areas with limited information, researchers can more easily identify where further investigation is needed, guiding the direction of subsequent research efforts.

In terms of collaboration and communication, concept maps are invaluable. They provide a visual language that can be shared among team members and stakeholders, facilitating discussions and ensuring that all parties have a common understanding of the project’s framework and findings.

Finally, when presenting research outcomes, concept maps can effectively summarize and convey complex information to diverse audiences. They can be used in reports, presentations, and publications to illustrate the study’s structure, findings, and implications clearly and concisely, making the research accessible to both academic and non-academic audiences.

Concept maps offer a range of benefits that enhance the research process, making complex information more manageable and comprehensible. These benefits can be broadly categorized into improving understanding, facilitating communication, and aiding in the planning and organization of research.

Enhancing understanding

Concept maps help distill complex ideas into visual formats, making abstract concepts more tangible. By laying out the relationships between different pieces of information, these maps enable researchers to see patterns and connections that might not be obvious in textual form. A concept map can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter, as it encourages the identification of relationships, hierarchies, and networks within the research topic .

Facilitating communication

One of the key advantages of concept maps is their ability to act as a communication tool among research team members and with external stakeholders. They provide a shared visual language that can help in explaining ideas clearly and succinctly, bridging knowledge gaps between individuals with different expertise or backgrounds. This common ground is especially valuable in multidisciplinary research teams, where understanding each others' perspectives is crucial for collaborative success. Moreover, concept maps can be effective in presentations or publications by conveying findings and theories in a more engaging and understandable way.

Aiding planning and organization

In the context of research planning and organization, concept maps serve as an invaluable tool for structuring projects and outlining research strategies. They allow researchers to visually map out the scope of their study, identify key components and variables, and organize their approach to data collection and analysis. This can support a more efficient use of resources and time, as potential overlaps or gaps in research can be identified early in the process. Furthermore, concept maps can be used to track progress over time, providing a clear overview of how individual pieces of research contribute to the overall project goals.

The process of creating a concept map involves several structured steps that guide researchers from the initial exploration of a topic to the development of a comprehensive visual display of their ideas and findings. This process can be divided into key phases: starting with a literature review , drafting an initial mind map, and refining the concept map into a final version.

Conducting a literature review

The first step to creating a concept map is to conduct a thorough literature review. This stage is crucial for gathering existing knowledge on the topic, identifying key concepts, theories, and relationships that have been previously established. The literature review helps in framing the main idea or question that will be at the center of the concept map. It provides a solid foundation of information from which researchers can begin to build their map, ensuring that it is grounded in established research and theory.

Drafting an initial map

With a clear understanding of the topic from the literature review, the next step is to start drafting an initial concept map. This can begin as a simple mind map, with the main idea at the center and primary concepts branching out from it. Researchers can then add layers of detail, linking related concepts and indicating the nature of their relationships. This initial draft is a flexible tool, allowing for easy adjustments as new ideas emerge or as the structure of the map evolves.

Refining the concept map

The last phase involves refining the initial draft into a final version of the concept map. This step may require multiple revisions, as researchers review their concept map for clarity, coherence, and completeness. It's an opportunity to ensure that all relevant concepts are included and accurately represented. The final version should clearly convey the main idea, its supporting concepts, and their interconnections. This polished concept map can then be used for various purposes, such as the basis for a research project, a visual aid in a blog post, or a tool for communication within a research team.

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6 ways to use concept mapping in your research

Joseph Novak developed concept mapping in the 1970s and ever since, it has been used to present the construction of knowledge. A concept map is a great way to present all the moving parts of your research project in one visually appealing figure. I recommend using this technique when you start thinking about your new research topic all the way through to the end product, and once you submitted your thesis, dissertation or research article, you can use concept mapping to plan your next project. If you prefer to watch the video explaining the 6 steps, scroll down.

What is the purpose of concept mapping?

You may wonder what the purpose of a concept map is. A concept map shows the different “ideas” which form part of your research project, as well as the relationships between them. A concept map is a visual presentation of concepts as shapes, circles, ovals, triangles or rectangles, and the relationships between these concepts are presented by arrows. Your concept map will show the concept in words inside a shape, and the relationship is then presented in words next to each arrow, so that each branch reads like a sentence. What is the difference between a mind map and a concept map? A mind map is different from a concept map in that a mind map puts much less emphasis on the relationship between concepts.

How to use a concept map in your research

Don’t wait to put your concept map together until only after you have, what you consider, “all the knowledge” and have read “all the literature” (anyway, with two million research articles published each year, will that day ever come?). In the very early stages, when you start thinking about your research project, draw your concept map to get your thoughts organised. Then, as you become more and more abreast with the research out there, modify your concept map.

The process of creating a concept map is an iterative one and you will find that it feels like you have drawn and redrawn the map over and over so many times that you wonder if you are ever going to get to a final version. This process in itself is a learning experience and is vital to sort the concepts out for yourself. If you have clarity in your own head, it is easier to explain what your research is all about to someone else. In addition, including a concept map into a dissertation, thesis, or research article (where relevant) makes it easier for the reader (including the examiner or reviewer) to understand what your research project is all about. There are several instances in your research journey where a concept map will come in handy.

#1 Use a concept map to brainstorm your research topic

When you are conceptualising your research topic, create a concept map to put all the different aspects related to your research topic onto paper and to show the relationships between them. This will give you a bird’s eye view of all the moving parts associated with the chosen research topic. You will also, most probably, realise that the topic is too broad, and you’ll be able to zoom in a bit more to focus your research question better. But before you settle on a specific research question, do a bit of reading around the topic area. Your concept map will show you which keywords to search for.

#2 Use a concept map when planning the search strategy for your literature review

Jumping right into those databases to do a search for articles to include in your literature review can really take you down the deepest darkest rabbit hole. One of those where you find an appropriate article, then gets suggested a few related articles and then you find another few related articles to the related articles, and after 4 hours you can’t even remember what your actual focus was. To avoid this situation, draw your concept map first. You can use the concept map you drew when you brainstormed your research topic to give you guidance in terms of the keywords to search for. Planning your search strategy before you jump in will ensure that you remain on the well-lit path.

#3 Add a concept map to your completed literature review chapter

As you read more about your research topic, you’ll get a better idea of the relationships between the current concepts, and you’ll find more concepts to add to your concept map. Adapt your concept map as you go along, and once you have the final version of your literature review, add your concept map as a figure to your literature review chapter. This will give the reader a good overview of your literature review and it will make their hearts happy because we all know how nice it is to be rewarded with a picture after reading pages and pages of text.

#4 Use a concept map to plan your discussion

Once you completed your data analysis and interpretation, developing a concept map for your discussion will give you clarity on what to include in your discussion chapter or section.

#5 Add a concept map to your completed research project

Once you have completed your entire research project and you want to show how your findings filled a gap in the literature, you can indicate this by modifying the concept map which you created for our literature review. This is a great way to show how your research findings have added to the existing concepts related to your research topic.

#6 Use a concept map to show your research niche area

You can use a concept map to visually present your own research niche area and as your career progresses and you create more knowledge in a specific niche, you can add to your concept map.

How to make a concept map for research

Go to a place where there are very few distractions, a place that is conducive to letting those creative juices flow freely. Seeing that we all function differently, shall I rather say, a place which you perceive as having few distractions. It may be in a park, in your garden, at a restaurant, in the library or in your own study.

Take out a blank piece of paper and start thinking about your research project. Of course, you can do it on a blank page on your laptop as well. One of my students used sticky notes with each sticky note presenting a concept, and with smaller strips of sticky notes showing the relationships between concepts. You can even get all fancy and use concept mapping software. But as a start, a blank piece of paper is more than enough.

Jot down all the ideas that come to mind while you answer the following questions: What is your research about? Why is your research important? What gap does your research fill? What problem will your research solve? What influences your research outcome? Just jot all your thoughts down. Then, once you have all your thoughts on paper, see if you can identify some relationships between the concepts which you noted down. What comes before what? What is a consequence of what? What is associated with what?

Once you are happy with what you have put together, present it to a friend, preferably at a time when both of you are not in a hurry to get somewhere. At a bar with loud music may not work well, and on a first date may also not be a good idea. Explain what is going on in the concept map and give your friend a chance to ask some questions. As you explain it to someone, as well as through fielding your friend’s questions, it will start to make more sense to you, and you will most probably move some concepts around and add new ones. Repeat this process with someone else when you feel you need some more input.

If you are planning to feature your concept map in your thesis, dissertation or research article, now is the time to turn your rough concept map into something more presentable. One can easily get totally lost when it comes to choosing software to create a concept map. Some of the software out there is paid for while others give you a free version for some basic concept mapping. Be careful of that software which only gives you free access for 30 days, remember, you are going to change your concept map quite a few times as time goes on. If you prefer to use software which you are already familiar with, why not just do it in PowerPoint or Word? On the other hand, Lucidchart is really user-friendly. Watch the video below to see how easy it is to create a concept map with Lucidchart. Explore a few options and see what works for you, but be careful, this exploration can take you down that 4-hour rabbit hole and when a proposal submission deadline is looming, that rabbit hole is a dark place to be in.

We'd like to acknowledge Coffee Machine Cleaning  for the image of the coffee cup and notebook used in this blog post. 

Examples of concept maps

Here are a few examples of concept maps that show the concepts and the relationship between the concepts well. Click on the image to visit the original source. Go and enjoy developing a concept map for your research!

One last thing before you go, for more valuable content related to academic research, subscribe to the Research Masterminds YouTube Channel  and hit the bell so that you get notified when I upload a new video. If you are a (post)graduate student working on a masters or doctoral research project, and you are passionate about life, adamant about completing your studies successfully and ready to get a head-start on your academic career, this opportunity is for you! Join our awesome membership site - a safe haven offering you coaching, community and content to boost your research experience and productivity. Check it out!  https://www.researchmasterminds.com/academy . 

Example 1 Little Red Riding Hood

Example 2 Nursing Management

Example 3 Operations Management

Example 4 Cup of Coffee

Example 5 Flexibility

Example 6 Human Body Systems

Example 7 Simple Concept Map Template

If you prefer to watch the video, here it is:

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Developing a Research Topic: Concept Mapping

• Concept Mapping
• Developing Keywords for Searching
• Boolean, Truncation, and Wildcards
• Topic Ideas
• Writing a Research Question

Concept Map / Mind Mapping

What is a concept map.

A concept map is a visual representation of what you know about a topic. Concept maps help you organize your thoughts and explore the relationships in a topic.  Use a concept map to organize and represent what you know about a topic. Explore the connections between elements of the topic. 

Why use a concept map?

Concept maps can be used to develop a research topic. They are a useful brainstorming tool.

Concept maps can be used to study. Mapping what you know about a subject and examining the relationships between elements help you develop a greater understanding of the material.

How do I create a concept map?

• On a whiteboard
• Any way that works for you!

How do I organize the map?

Most of the time you start with the central idea, topic, or subject. Then you branch out from that central point and show how the main idea can be broken into specific subtopics. Each subtopic can also be broken into even more specific topics,

Make a Research Appointment

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Organize what you know by subtopic in a topic map.

Use the topic map to define your research topic.

For example: geography - local travel - rail - variants - rail systems - designs & availability - emissions - research & evidence

Make a topic statement or research question. 

I am researching the environmental impact of using commuter rail systems in cities.

How does using commuter rail systems in cities affect the environment?

Concept Map, Mind Mapping

Example concept map.

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Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial

Using concept maps.

• Literature Reviews: A Recap
• Peer Review
• Reading the Literature
• Developing Research Questions
• Considering Strong Opinions
• 2. Review discipline styles
• Super Searching
• Finding the Full Text
• Citation Searching This link opens in a new window
• When to stop searching
• Citation Management
• Annotating Articles Tip
• 5. Critically analyze and evaluate
• How to Review the Literature
• Using a Synthesis Matrix
• 7. Write literature review

Concept maps or mind maps visually represent relationships of different concepts. In research, they can help you make connections between ideas. You can use them as you are formulating your research question, as you are reading a complex text, and when you are creating a literature review. See the video and examples below.

How to Create a Concept Map

Credit: Penn State Libraries ( CC-BY ) Run Time: 3:13

• Bubbl.us Free version allows 3 mind maps, image export, and sharing.
• MindMeister Free version allows 3 mind maps, sharing, collaborating, and importing. No image-based exporting.

Mind Map of a Text Example

Credit: Austin Kleon. A map I drew of John Berger’s Ways of Seeing in 2008. Tumblr post. April 14, 2016. http://tumblr.austinkleon.com/post/142802684061#notes

Literature Review Mind Map Example

This example shows the different aspects of the author's literature review with citations to scholars who have written about those aspects.

Credit: Clancy Ratliff, Dissertation: Literature Review. Culturecat: Rhetoric and Feminism [blog]. 2 October 2005. http://culturecat.net/node/955 .

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• Last Updated: Feb 22, 2024 10:53 AM
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Henry Whittemore Library

Concept mapping.

• What is Concept Mapping?
• Concept Mapping Tools
• Concept Mapping How-to
• More Resources

Introduction

What is concept mapping .

Concept mapping is a useful tool/skill that can be applied to the research process

"Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. Words on the line, referred to as linking words or linking phrases, specify the relationship between the two concepts."

Concept Map Example

The above concept map examples are from a paper by Novac & Canas (2008) on how to construct concept maps and the theory underlying them. The below example is from professor Vandana Singh from the Physics and Earth Sciences department at Framingham State University.

Novak, J. D., & Canas, A. J. (2008).  The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use them  (p. 36). Pensacola, FL: Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.  Retrieved from http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/theory-of-concept-maps

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• Last Updated: Jun 13, 2024 10:58 AM
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What is a Concept Map

What do you want to do with concept maps, i want to create my own concept map on lucidchart., i want to create a concept map from a ready-made template..

Use a concept map maker to help others better understand and visualize various ideas and how they work. This guide covers everything you need to know about concept maps, from definitions and key features to use cases and history.

15 minute read

Want to create your own concept map? Try Lucidchart. It's fast, easy, and totally free.

What is a concept map?

A concept map is a diagram or graphical tool that visually represents relationships between concepts and ideas. Most concept maps depict ideas as boxes or circles (also called nodes), which are structured hierarchically and connected with lines or arrows (also called arcs). These lines are labeled with linking words and phrases to help explain the connections between concepts.

Key features of concept maps

Concept maps are also referred to as conceptual diagrams. While other types of diagrams may look similar, concept maps have specific characteristics differentiating them from other visual tools.

Concepts are defined as “perceived regularities or patterns in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label” and are depicted as shapes in the diagram.

Linking words/phrases

Linking words or phrases are located on the lines connecting objects in a concept map, and these words describe the relationship between two concepts. They are as concise as possible and typically contain a verb. Examples include "causes," "includes" and "requires."

Propositional structure

Propositions are meaningful statements made up of two or more concepts connected with linking words. These statements are also known as semantic units or units of meaning. Concepts and propositions are the foundation for the creation of new knowledge in a domain. Essentially, a concept map visually conveys a set of propositions about a certain topic.

Hierarchical structure

A key element of the concept map is its hierarchical structure. The most general and inclusive concepts are positioned at the top of a concept map with the more specific and exclusive concepts arranged hierarchically below. As such, a concept map is designed to read from top to bottom.

Focus question

A focus question defines the issue or problem the concept map needs to solve. Developing a focus question allows you to design with a context in mind and thus helps guide and maintain the direction of your concept map. Within the hierarchical structure, the focus question should be at the very top of the concept map and serve as a reference point.

Parking lot

Before beginning your concept map, it can be helpful to come up with a list identifying the key concepts that need to be included. Establish a rank ordered list from the most general concept to the most specific. This list is referred to as a parking lot, as you will move the items into the map as you figure out where they fit in.  

Cross-links

Cross-links are relationships between concepts in different domains of the concept map, allowing you to visualize how ideas within these different domains are connected. Both the cross-links and the hierarchical structure facilitate creative thinking, and these cross-links often indicate moments of creativity.

Why use a concept map?

The brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than it processes text. Designed as a tool to organize and represent knowledge, concept mapping can help you visualize relationships between various concepts and test your understanding of complex subjects. Thinking through and visually representing relationships between ideas forms mental connections that allow for better retention of knowledge. This diagram is a popular way to capture understanding of a topic for work, school, or personal study. It's used most frequently in academia, but the process can be easily applied to other fields.

Concept mapping offers benefits for any learning process:

• Facilitates comprehension with its visual format
• Synthesizes information by integrating new and old concepts to better grasp the big picture
• Encourages brainstorming and high-level thinking
• Fosters discovery of new concepts and their connections
• Provides clear communication of complex ideas
• Promotes collaborative learning
• Sparks creativity
• Snapshots your current knowledge to assess understanding
• Identifies areas that need further knowledge or review

When to make a concept map

Concept maps are an optimal learning tool for students and educators, whether the contributors are enrolled in school, teaching or tutoring a subject, or developing new skills on their own. The process of connecting ideas in a tangible space can solidify your topical knowledge, as well as clarify which areas need a little work.

Making a concept map can be helpful when:

• Presenting concise overviews of a field
• Absorbing information while studying for an exam
• Assessing a student’s grasp of a particular topic
• Consolidating knowledge during the learning process
• Demonstrating an acceptable level of understanding on a subject
• Defining knowledge that exists in your head but hasn’t been formally documented

Concept maps are similar to other node-linking mapping methods such as topic maps or UML diagrams. However, concept maps differ due to their philosophical basis, which holds that concepts and propositions are the foundation of new knowledge and meaning.

Keep in mind that concept maps are not the same as mind maps, though they’re frequently confused (see below for more details). Concept maps aren’t the best tool for visualizing new ideas, organizing meetings, or managing tasks and projects. You may want to try mind maps or another type of diagram in these scenarios.

Concept maps vs. mind maps

Many people have trouble telling concept maps and mind maps apart. Here’s how to determine if you’re dealing with a concept map or a mind map:

Concept maps

• Are used to represent tacit knowledge, like an existing theory or concept. The ideas are usually generated externally.
• Tend to represent academic knowledge, so their application is more formal.
• Contain general knowledge near the top of the map, with related concepts arranged hierarchically below.
• Show topics with cross-linking and multiple relationships.
• Are used to flesh out a set of ideas, which are often generated internally.
• Tend to represent a greater variety of tasks and concepts, so their application is more flexible.
• Contain a single word, phrase, or image in the center of the map, with related ideas radiating outward in all directions.
• Show topics with a single parent and several children.

Concept mapping for education

Students can use concept mapping to:

• Organize and structure new material
• Increase learning by relating new and old knowledge
• Map out relationships between things such as vocab words, characters in a story, events in history, etc.
• Plan/outline writing projects
• Design their own representations of knowledge
• Brainstorm new ideas
• Create study guides
• Design complex structures

Teachers can use concept mapping to:

• Plan curriculum
• Assess understanding or diagnose misunderstanding of students
• Explain complex ideas
• Assist struggling readers

As educators incorporate concept maps into their teaching methodology, they can provide aids to help facilitate the process for students:

• Give a focus question to get the wheels turning.
• Create a parking lot (list of key concepts) to help students determine what to include in their map.
• Provide expert skeleton maps so students have a structure to follow. These are small concept maps started by an expert on the topic which students can then expand upon.

Research indicates that students working in small groups and cooperating while learning results in positive cognitive and affective outcomes. Concept mapping allows for this productive small group work among students and teachers in any subject matter.

Concept mapping for business

While widely used in education, concept maps have expanded to the business world as well. Concept maps communicate ideas well and prompt intuitive visual thinking that aid business analysis. Concept mapping is a group process, making it an ideal activity for teams or groups of stakeholders, and it is especially when solving problems, whether they be in marketing, new product design or administration. They allow all organization members to evaluate where they are currently and where they would like to go, and they can be easily made and maintained by anyone, even the non-technical users.

Concept maps bring a creative and results-oriented approach known as design thinking to business. Within this approach, concept maps can be used for inspiration, ideation and implementation. These diagrams are excellent storytellers, helping in the ideation and inspiration phases. When it comes time for implementation, concept maps help with instruction, documentation and communication.

Concept mapping can serve a variety of purposes in a business organization:

• Promoting company-wide understanding of business requirements
• Spotting gaps and contradictions
• Identifying complex relationships among ideas
• Learning the “language” of a client
• Establishing a consistent language for a project
• Identifying potential requirements dependencies
• Modeling inventory flows, cash flows, relationship flows, etc
• Product development
• Market analysis
• Decision-making
• Formulating research projects
• Mapping team knowledge
• Archiving expert knowledge
• Creating a shared vision within a team or organization
• Generating advance organizers
• Training new employees
• Software design
• Ontology-building

Concept mapping for healthcare

Within the healthcare industry, concept mapping allows for prioritizing ideas, evaluating consensus, identifying gaps and creating improved action plans. It allows the various stakeholders of an organization to come together and formulate effective plans, as faculty are able to create a shared representation of the patient’s condition and situation and determine the proper next steps.

Applications of concept mapping within healthcare include:

• Organizing workloads
• Prioritizing patient assignments
• Critically thinking through abnormal assessments
• Mapping out plans of care
• Identifying relationships between symptoms
• Revealing diagnosis
• Training medical staff

History of concept mapping

Concept mapping as a method was developed by Joseph Novak and a team of researchers at Cornell University in the 1970’s. Dr. Novak was searching for a new tool to describe explicit changes in children’s conceptual understanding.

Both he and his colleagues at Cornell had studied psychologist Jean Piaget’s theories on cognitive operational stages. Piaget and other experts assumed that children weren’t capable of comprehending abstract concepts, like the nature of matter, before the age of 11. Dr. Novak decided to launch a research project that would observe minute changes in the way children learned new ideas. He was inspired by a theory from David Ausubel, a proponent of Piaget’s theories. Ausubel wrote,

“If I had to reduce all of educational psychology to just one principle, I would say this: the most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly” (Ausubel, 1968, p. vi)

With this idea as their guiding light, the Cornell team developed a new tool during their longitudinal study: the concept map. These maps were simple—just one or two words to represent the main idea, and lines showing linking words that created a meaningful statement. The most general concepts were grouped at the top of the map and the most specific ones at the bottom. Novak taught students to build concept maps to demonstrate their knowledge on focus questions such as “What is water”.

The research team explained,

“We found that a 15- or 20-page interview transcript could be converted into a one-page concept map without losing essential concept and propositional meanings expressed by the interviewee. We soon realized this was a very powerful and concise knowledge representation tool, a tool that changed our research program from this point on.”

Since 1972, concept mapping has become extremely popular, as specialists in fields from education to healthcare realize the unique benefits of this type of diagram.

Theoretical foundation

Concept maps are based on Ausubel’s Assimilation Theory and Novak’s Theory of Learning, which discuss how people learn new information by incorporating new knowledge with knowledge they already posses. Novak stated,

“Meaningful learning involves the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing cognitive structures.”

Through meaningful learning, discussed more below, the integration of new concepts into our cognitive knowledge structure occurs through linking the new knowledge to concepts already understood. A concept map provides a visual demonstration of these relationships between concepts in our cognitive structure. The origin of concept maps stems is based in constructivism, which discusses how learners actively construct knowledge.

Physiological foundation

Children acquire concepts during the age of birth to three years as they start identifying labels or symbols for regularities they observe in the world around them. This early and autonomous learning is known as the discovery learning process. After age three, the reception learning process begins, where new meanings are formed by asking questions and understanding the relationships between old and new concepts—concepts are no longer defined by the learner but described by others and transferred to the learner.

In addition to exploring these two learning processes, Ausubel also differentiates between rote and meaningful learning. Rote learning occurs when there is little or no relevant knowledge to the new information being presented and no internal commitment to incorporate new and existing knowledge. As a result, information is easily forgotten. The cognitive structure is not enhanced to clear up faulty ideas.

Meaningful learning can only occur under the following three circumstances:

The new material being presented must be clear and relatable to the learner’s prior knowledge. Concept maps are helpful here, as they identify general concepts held by the learner which can then be built upon.

The learner needs to possess relevant prior knowledge, especially when trying to comprehend detailed and specific knowledge in an area.

The first two conditions can be controlled directly by the instructor. However, the third cannot, as it requires that the learner choose to learn meaningfully. In other words, they make an effort to assimilate new and old information rather than just memorizing.

The distinction between rote and meaningful learning is a continuum, as individuals possess different amounts of relevant knowledge and different motivation levels for knowledge assimilation. Creativity is a a very high level of meaningful learning on this continuum.

Working and short-term memory are the most important for getting knowledge into long-term memory. Information is processed in the working memory through interaction with knowledge in long-term memory; however, the working memory can only process a small number of units at a time. However, if these units can be grouped together, it is much easily recalled. Organizing large amounts of information requires repetition between working memory and long-term memory. Concept mapping is powerful for meaningful learning because it acts as a template to help organize and structure knowledge, even though the structure must be built piece by piece with small units of interacting concepts and propositions. This process allows for the use of knowledge in new contexts and for increased retention. In addition, research shows that our brain prefers to organize information in the hierarchical structure characteristic of concept mapping.

Epistemological foundation

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge and new knowledge creation. There exists a growing consensus that new knowledge creation is a constructive process that involves our knowledge and our emotions. Novak believes that new knowledge creation is high meaningful learning by those with an organized knowledge structure on a certain topic and a strong motivation to find new meaning.

Concept maps are associated with constructivist theories of learning in which learners are active participants rather than passive recipients of knowledge. Learners must make an effort to bring new meaning to information they already know. Building concept maps is a creative process, as concepts and propositions are the foundation for knowledge in any domain.

How to build a concept map

Here are the basic steps in constructing a concept map. We have a much more detailed article with instructions on how to make a concept map step by step, if you’re ready to learn more . 

Identify the focus question or main topic—think about the problem or issue you want the concept map to resolve. This idea should connect to all others on your map and will guide the hierarchical structure.

Identify all the key concepts that relate to the main idea you identified. Order them with the most general concepts first and the more specific concepts last. This list is referred to as the parking lot.

Create a preliminary concept map linking the concepts together. Remember to add linking words or phrases on the lines to demonstrate how the concepts are related.

Add cross-links to connect concepts in different domains.

• Continually revise your concept map as needed.

Helpful Resources

• How to Make a Concept Map
• Create a concept map

Instead of struggling with clunky software or a desk full of colored pencils, use Lucidchart. You can write, organize and style your concept maps in record time and then share it with others.  

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Concept Mapping Your Topic

One way to analyze and narrow your topic is to use a concept map. This will help you to brainstorm ideas and then focus your topic so your research is manageable. There are different ways to create a concept map. One of the most common methods is to write the broad topic in the middle, then branch out with subtopics, related issues, and examples or details.

If you don’t know much about your topic, you can refer to a tertiary source, such as an encyclopedia or Wikipedia, to get background knowledge on the subject. Often, tertiary sources use an outline to organize information. You can use those sub-headings in your concept map.

The concept map is a visual organizer that can also help you narrow your topic to a research question. The research question will influence the steps you take to answer the question. Learn more about developing a research question in the next module.  (1)

Concept Map Template

Concept map example: death penalty.

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Literature review toolkit for policy studies: Concept mapping

Why create a concept map.

A concept map is a visualization of key idea in your research and the relationships between them. To create a concept map, pick out the main concepts of your topic and brainstorm everything you know about them, drawing shapes around your concepts and clustering the shapes in a way that's meaningful to you. How can this help?

• Helps you pull back to see the broader concepts at play.
• Can help identify the subject-based tool where literature can be found. 
• Helps clarify both what you already know and where you have gaps in your knowledge.

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Concept Maps

What are concept maps.

Concept maps are visual representations of information that show the relationship between ideas or concepts. They are suitable for organizing and representing knowledge in an easy-to-understand manner using shapes and lines to represent relationships visually. 

© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0

Benefits of Concept Maps

A concept map helps you see how different ideas fit together, making complex information easier to understand. It's like laying concepts before you to see how they connect.

Enhanced understanding: Concept maps make abstract ideas concrete for quick and enhanced comprehension. 

Efficient learning and recall: Concept maps help you memorize information better and make recall during exams or meetings easier.

Creativity boost: The visual layout reveals the gaps and links between concepts to foster creative thinking. 

Improved problem-solving: Identifying connections between elements helps you tackle issues in a structured way.

Effective communication: Sharing concept maps makes complex topics easy for a team or audience to discuss and understand.

Key Components of Concept Maps

A concept map has three main components: nodes, links, and hierarchies.

Nodes : These are the fundamental building blocks of concept maps, represented as boxes or circles containing a concept or idea. Every node represents a distinct part of the knowledge domain under consideration.

Links : These lines connect the nodes, representing the relationships between different concepts. Each link is usually labeled with a verb or phrase describing the nature of the connection between the nodes it connects.

Hierarchies : Most concept maps have a top-down approach. They start with the most general concepts at the top of the map and branch out to more specific concepts as you move downward. This hierarchical arrangement allows for an overview at a glance and helps organize complex information effectively

Role of Concept Maps in Knowledge Representation and Cognitive Mapping

Knowledge representation converts complex concepts, facts, and information into a structured, easily understandable format. Concept maps visually represent knowledge in an organized way to help with comprehension and knowledge retention.

Cognitive mapping is the mental process that helps us acquire, code, store, recall, and decode information about our environment's relative attributes. It's how we form and recall mental "maps" of our world.

Concept maps bring knowledge representation and the cognitive mapping process together. They visually structure knowledge and thereby mirror how our brains naturally work. Our minds tend to create "maps" or networks of related information; concept maps essentially externalize this process. In doing so, they help us understand and absorb complex information more effectively.

Benefits and Applications of Concept Maps

Concept maps are remarkably versatile tools with applications in various domains, including design , education, business, and research. Let's explore some of the key benefits and applications of concept maps.

Benefits of Concept Maps Across Different Domains

Education : Concept maps are instrumental in fostering deep learning among students. They encourage learners to connect new information with existing knowledge, promoting better comprehension and retention. Teachers can also use concept maps to assess students' understanding of a topic and identify gaps in knowledge.

Business : In the corporate world, concept maps are frequently used for strategic planning, project management, and knowledge management. They facilitate communication of complex ideas, promote collaboration, and help identify potential risks or opportunities.

Research : Concept maps are invaluable in organizing and visualizing the complexities of research. Researchers can use them to map out theories, hypotheses, and experimental designs to see connections or gaps in their work.

Real-World Example of Concept Maps

Concept maps have been effectively used in diverse contexts. Here’s an example: 

In his book, “ Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge ,” Joseph D. Novak shares how a high school in Costa Rica started using concept maps in all classes to teach and test students. Because of this, in just four years, the percentage of students passing the national high school graduation exam went up from 65% to a perfect 100%.

© Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge, Fair Use

Applications of Concept Maps in Problem-Solving, Decision-Making, and Creativity Enhancement

Concept maps offer an effective way to understand and navigate the processes of problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity enhancement. This is thanks to their inherent flexibility and visual appeal.

Potential applications of concept maps in problem-solving:

Visualize the problem : Concept maps can help break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts. They allow a clear understanding of the issue at hand.

Identify relationships : They enable users to identify relationships and connections between different aspects of the problem that they may have overlooked otherwise.

Highlight knowledge gaps : Concept maps can expose areas that need more information or exploration to guide the design thinking process in the right direction.

Watch this video to learn more about design thinking and its five phases.

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Hasso-Platner Institute Panorama

Ludwig Wilhelm Wall, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Potential applications of concept maps in decision-making:

Compare options : Concept maps enable visual comparison and contrast of different options. They make the decision-making process more transparent and logical.

Analyze risks and benefits : Concept maps can highlight each option's potential risks and benefits. 

Understand consequences : Concept maps can help visualize each decision's potential outcomes, promoting forward-thinking and strategic decision-making.

Potential applications of concept maps in creativity enhancement:

Promote divergent thinking : Concept maps encourage visual thinking and stimulate creativity.

Act as a brainstorming tool : You can use concept maps to be the focus of brainstorming sessions. 

Nurture innovation : They can serve as a platform for integrating existing knowledge with innovative solutions and ideas.

How to Create Effective Concept Maps

Creating an effective concept map isn't difficult, but it does require some strategic thinking and a touch of creativity. 

Here's how they work:

You start with a central concept. This could be anything you're thinking about. It may be a topic you're studying, a project you're planning, or even a big question you're trying to answer.

You then identify the major related ideas or subtopics that connect to this main concept. You draw lines from the central idea to these related ideas.

You might have more specific ideas or details for each subtopic. You draw more lines to show these connections.

You can write words or phrases on each line explaining how the ideas connect.

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating well-structured and visually appealing concept maps to give you a better idea.

Steps to Create Concept Maps

Step 1: Define Your Focus Question

Start by defining your focus question, whether it's a business problem, a research question, or a social issue. It's important to narrow it down to a core concept. This ensures that your map remains organized and easy to understand.

Step 2: Identify Related Concepts

Brainstorm and list all the concepts or ideas related to your focus questions. Having this 'parking lot' of ideas ready before you begin designing your map is beneficial. It saves you time and potential restructuring later on.

Step 3: Choose Your Concept Mapping Tool

You have two main options when it comes to creating your concept map: traditional tools (pen and paper cards, sticky notes, whiteboard) or a digital concept mapping application. Digital diagramming tools like Visme , LucidChart , Miro , and Mural offer advantages like easy collaboration, limitless space for complex maps, and the ability to customize templates and animations.

Step 4: Draw Your Central Concept

Whether you're drawing your concept map by hand or using a digital tool, always begin with your key concept at the top or center of your map. This allows for a clear hierarchical structure.

Step 5: Establish Connections Between Concepts

Now, it's time to connect your ideas. Begin with broader concepts, gradually moving to more specific ones. You can use arrows to indicate the direction of relationships between concepts to make it easier for viewers to understand the map's propositions.

Step 6: Define the Relationships

This step involves adding text to your lines or arrows to define the concepts' relationships clearly. Keep this text brief and straightforward to maintain a clean and clutter-free visualization.

Step 7: Review and Refine Your Concept Map

Now that your concept map has taken shape, review it carefully. Look for potential improvements, redundancies, or missed ideas. Feel free to rearrange nodes or add more cross-links if needed.

Step 8: Customize Your Concept Map Design

All that’s left is to save your work in a form that’s easily accessible for future reference. Take pictures if you’re working offline, and name and organize your files properly. Remember to add the date and any context that someone outside your group might need to understand the map fully.

If you plan to share or present your concept map to business stakeholders, you must polish it up. This can be as simple as adding a bold header or tweaking the colors and fonts to match your brand's visual identity. Businesses can consider adding their company logo to increase brand awareness. This can be particularly helpful if they want to share the concept map on social media or embed it on their website.

Step 9: Iterate

Concept maps are a valuable tool for organizing thoughts and explaining complex ideas. However, things may change depending on the subject of your concept map. Creating a concept map is an iterative process of understanding. It may require adjustments and revisions based on new research and insights. 

Best Practices for Concept Mapping

Following the step-by-step guide above will enable you to construct a competent concept map for almost any situation. However, if you want to make your concept map truly exceptional, consider these tips and best practices:

1. Focus on One Idea

While having multiple key concepts in your concept map is possible, it's advisable not to use them. Your key concept originates from your focal question. It is the starting point from which all other ideas branch out in your hierarchical concept map. 

Incorporating more than one key concept could lead to an overly complex and confusing diagram for your audience. Stick to one key concept and create separate concept maps for each if you have multiple key concepts.

2. Cluster Similar Concepts

If your general concepts branch out into too many specific ones, consider grouping related ideas under a sub-concept. 

For instance, you can construct a concept map about "healthy living." You could have two main groups: "physical health" and "mental health." Within these, you could further categorize. 

For physical health, you might have sub-groups like "exercise" and "diet." 

For mental health, "stress management" and "emotional well-being" could be sub-groups. 

Grouping similar ideas will make your concept map neater, less cluttered, and more digestible for readers.

3. Use Color-Coding

Colors can help differentiate the different domains in your concept map. This not only enhances readability but also aids in retaining information for longer periods by associating each domain with a distinct color. Be sure to use colors in a meaningful way rather than using them just for their sake.

For example, you can color-code renewable energy sources in various green shades while using red for non-renewable sources. Use these colors consistently to prevent confusion. But be sure to provide ways of identifying key components since color alone can cause accessibility and display problems. (Red on one screen could be magenta on another, plus red-green color blindness is fairly common.)

4. Incorporate Images and Icons

Consider enhancing the text with images or icons to make your concept map more engaging. 

For instance, you can use outline icons to represent the concepts of "coffee beans" and "hot water." This method promotes faster learning and better recall, as the brain can form stronger associations with icons and words than with plain text.

5. Use Linking Words

We find linking words on the lines that connect different objects in a concept map. When you add linking words or phrases to clarify the relationships between different concepts, make sure they are logical. This will allow readers to form meaningful sentences from the linking words and the two concepts. 

In some cases, you may not need to use any words. You can use symbols like + or - to indicate the addition or subtraction of ideas.

6. Make It Interactive

If you plan to share your concept map online, consider making it interactive to engage readers. 

For instance, you can allow users to collapse and expand notes. You might also include links to your concept maps, leading readers to external web pages for detailed information. 

Additionally, consider inserting additional resources and further reading at the bottom of your concept map or linking to various online sources used to gather information for your diagram.

5 Tips For Enhancing Readability And Clarity In Concept Maps

Creating a concept map is only the first step; ensuring it is easy to understand and digest is another crucial step to pay attention to. Clear concept maps with high readability will ensure effective communication. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Clear hierarchy

Organize your ideas in a clear and logical visual hierarchy. Your key concept should be the primary focus, with other ideas branching out according to their importance and relevance.

Here’s an example of how you can implement hierarchy in UX design that you can apply to your concept maps to make them easier to use.

2. Appropriate spacing

Ensure adequate space between your ideas to avoid overcrowding. This will help readers distinguish between concepts and avoid confusion.

3. Consistent layout

Consistency in your layout, such as using shapes, colors, and fonts, will enhance readability. Make sure that similar concepts are visually unified.

4. Use of colors

Use different colors to distinguish between various levels or types of concepts. Striking a balance will bring about improved clarity.

5. Legible fonts

Ensure your fonts are easy to read. Avoid overly stylized fonts or small text sizes, which can detract from the readability of your concept map.

Integrating into Workflows and Learning Environments

1. daily planning.

Use concept maps as a planning tool. Start with your main goal for the day in the center and branch out with tasks and subtasks.

2. Meeting summaries

After a meeting, create a concept map to summarize key points discussed, decisions made, and action items.

3. Learning and study

For students, concept maps can be invaluable in summarizing chapters, understanding complex topics, or revising for exams. They can turn dense textual information into a visual snapshot, making it easier to recall.

4. Project management

Concept maps can provide a visual overview of a project, showcasing the different phases, tasks, responsibilities, and timelines.

5. Collaborative brainstorming

In team environments, digital concept mapping tools allow real-time collaboration. This way, team members can contribute simultaneously, creating a comprehensive map with diverse perspectives.

6. Integration with digital tools

Ensure that your concept mapping tool integrates with other platforms you use, be it task management systems, cloud storage, or note-taking apps. This seamless integration ensures you can easily share and make the maps accessible.

Tools and Software for Concept Mapping

When it comes to translating your ideas, plans, or projects into a visual format, concept mapping tools and software offer a range of solutions. With the surge in remote work and online collaboration, these tools have become essential for organizations and individuals. Let's take a closer look at some of the top contenders in this space, including factors like key features, presentation mode, and collaboration features. 

© Clickup, Fair Use

ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform with several views to visualize ideas and tasks. It offers some powerful collaboration tools, such as mind maps and whiteboards, to help keep cross-functional teams updated, whether they are working in real-time or asynchronously.

Features and functionalities of ClickUp include:

Over 1,000 integrations with other work tools

Detailed online help center, webinars, and support

A template library that expedites the creation process

Reporting and dashboards for an instant overview of your work

Multiple views for various project styles

50+ task automation to streamline workflows

Unique features of ClickUp:

Real-time collaboration with Docs

Customizable task statuses for project needs

Multiple assignees for tasks for transparency

Limitations:

The sheer number of features can make it challenging for new users

Not all views are available in the mobile app

© Xmind, Fair Use

XMind is a concept mapping software that offers various map types and is compatible with Windows and Mac OS.

Features and functionalities of Xmind include:

Support for various formats, including PNG, PDF, SVG, and more

Map Shot to adjust the format for displaying and viewing

Tree Table for presenting topics with nested rectangles

Unique feature of Xmind:

Smart Color Theme for a consistent look and feel

It lacks project or task management features

©  GitMind, Fair Use

GitMind is an easy-to-use concept map maker software that offers advanced features like outlining, shape customization, shared editing, and exporting.

Features and functionalities of GitMind include:

Format painter to copy all formats of a first node to the second node

A global search to find concept maps or mind maps by keywords

Relationships to connect two nodes on a concept map

Unique feature of GitMind:

Concept map generator with an outline mode

Not equipped with project management tools

Limited scalability for larger teams

©  Canva, Fair Use

Canva is an online graphic design software that allows anyone to create stunning visuals and designs, including concept maps.

Features and functionalities of Canva include:

Image enhancer to correct photos

Online video recorder to help explain complex concepts

Grid designs for photos and other design elements

Unique feature of Canva:

Dynamic messaging through text animations

Multiple file downloads are automatically compressed into a zip file

5. TheBrain

© TheBrain, Fair Use

TheBrain is a concept map maker package that helps users organize their thoughts and ideas in an interactive mind map format.

Features and functionalities of TheBrain include:

Desktop, mobile, and browser platform support

Connected topics to find related information

Document tags with priority indicators

Unique feature of TheBrain:

Events and reminder attachments

Not scalable to build powerful concept map templates

Lacks collaboration tools for teams

Consider your specific needs and each software program's unique features when choosing a concept mapping tool. Whether you have a small team or one with hundreds, there's a tool that can help you visualize information and connect ideas effectively.

Collaborative Concept Mapping

Collaborative concept mapping harnesses the collective intellect of a group, enabling participants to construct a shared understanding of a topic. Let's explore its benefits:

Benefits of collaborative concept mapping

1. fostering teamwork.

Working together on a concept map requires mutual respect, understanding, and communication among team members. This process helps build trust and reinforces the spirit of collaboration.

2. Sharing Knowledge

Each participant brings a unique perspective and information. Integrating these diverse viewpoints into one map generates a richer, more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

3. Combating Cognitive Biases

When multiple individuals collaborate, it's easier to challenge and rectify individual cognitive biases , which leads to a more objective and balanced representation of information.

4. Enhancing Retention

The act of discussing, debating, and then representing ideas in a visual format can significantly improve memory retention.

Techniques and Tools for Collaborative Concept Mapping

You can employ certain tools and techniques to enhance collaboration in concept mapping:

1. Brainstorming Sessions

Before beginning the mapping process, have a brainstorming session. This allows all team members to voice their perspectives, ensuring inclusivity.

2. Real-time editing

Tools like Google Docs , ClickUp , and GitMind allow multiple users to edit concept maps in real time, ensuring that changes are immediately visible to all participants.

3. Feedback loops

Encourage team members to critique and review the map at various stages. Iterative feedback ensures the final product is well-rounded and comprehensive.

4. Use templates

Starting with a template can expedite the mapping process. Many digital tools offer customizable templates tailored for different purposes.

5. Integration with other tools

Some advanced mapping tools integrate with task management and communication platforms. This facilitates seamless sharing and discussion of the map content.

Example of Successful Collaborative Concept Mapping Project

Below, you will have the chance to take a peek into a fascinating study involving the real-life application and benefits of Concept Mapping. We’ve summarized it below in easy-to-grasp terms, just for you.

Study : Improving Medical Student Learning with Concept Maps

Background and purpose.

This study aimed to see if concept maps could help medical students in India learn better. 

The study involved two groups of third-year medical students. The team conducted the study in two parts. In the first part, students took a test to see how much they knew about a topic. Then, they were taught about tuberculosis using a concept map. After this, another test took place. In the second part of the study, the students were asked how they felt about using the concept map. The team compared the scores from the two tests using a statistical method called the Wilcoxon test.

The scores on the test after using the concept map were higher than before (an average score of 10 compared to 4, which is statistically significant at P < .0001). More than half of the students got a perfect score on the test after using the concept map, while none of them did on the first test. When asked about using the concept map, 82.09% of students liked it.

The study found that concept maps are a helpful tool for teaching and learning for medical students. They can be used to help students understand complex topics more easily. More use of concept maps could help improve student learning.

© National Center for Biotechnology Information, Fair Use

Advanced Concepts in Concept Mapping

Concept mapping has evolved considerably since its inception. Academic research, technological advancements, and the increasing complexity of subjects are at the forefront of this evolution.

As we look deeper into the emerging sophisticated techniques, we find innovations such as concept linking, concept evolution, and the development of ontologies. Additionally, the future of concept mapping holds exciting prospects as emerging trends reshape the process of creating concept maps.

Advanced Techniques and Concepts

1. concept linking.

Concept linking is a way to connect related pieces of information by finding shared ideas within them. It's like seeing which things often appear together in a document. A concept is the main idea or thing that's important in that situation.

2. Concept Evolution

Advanced mapping tools now offer the capability to track the evolution of a concept over time. This dynamic visualization can show how an idea has changed, grown, or diminished. It is useful for projects spanning long durations or evolving subjects, like technology trends or scientific theories.

3. Ontologies

An ontology captures knowledge about entities and their relationships in a specific domain, while concept maps are visual tools. Both help in understanding complex topics. Ontology sets the groundwork, and concept maps visualize it.

Emerging Trends and Future Directions

1. Integration with Artificial Intelligence

As AI continues to progress, there's potential for it to analyze large volumes of data and automatically generate concept maps, uncovering relationships that the human eye might miss. Additionally, AI can offer real-time suggestions to enhance the quality and comprehensiveness of concept maps.

2. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in Concept Mapping

Imagine wearing VR glasses and walking through a 3D concept map, exploring ideas like physical objects in a room. AR and VR offer opportunities to make concept mapping a more immersive experience, thereby enhancing comprehension and retention.

3. Collaborative Real-time Mapping

With the rise of remote work and global teams, tools that allow multiple users to build and edit concept maps in real-time collaboratively will become even more critical. These platforms will enhance global teamwork and ensure you account for diverse perspectives.

4. Adaptive Concept Mapping

Future concept mapping tools may be able to adapt to individual users’ needs with user data and feedback. For example, if a user often struggles with a specific topic, the tool might offer more detailed nodes and links in that area.

5. Integration with Other Digital Tools

As our digital ecosystems become more interconnected, concept mapping tools that seamlessly integrate with other platforms—be it task management systems, learning platforms, or communication tools—will become invaluable. These could be task management systems, learning platforms, or communication tools.

6. Personalized Learning Paths

Advanced concept maps could guide learners through personalized paths based on their prior knowledge and learning pace in educational settings. Such maps would dynamically evolve, presenting new information when the learner is ready.

7. Semantic Analysis

Future concept maps may analyze the semantic relationships between concepts, offering more profound insights into the meaning and context of ideas. This could be particularly useful in linguistics, literature, and the social sciences.

As technology advances and our understanding of cognition and learning deepens, concept mapping will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of knowledge visualization and management. The future holds exciting possibilities as new techniques and tools emerge to make concept maps more dynamic, insightful, and valuable.

Tips for Effective Concept Map Usage

Like all tools, the effectiveness of concept maps hinges on how well they're used. Here are some strategies to maximize their potential, address common challenges, and seamlessly integrate them into various workflows and learning environments.

Practical Tips and Strategies

Start with a central idea : Always begin your map with a central concept or idea. This serves as the foundation for your map and ensures you stay focused on the topic.

Use hierarchies : Position the most general concepts at the top or center of the map and branch out to specific concepts. This provides a clear, top-down view of the information.

Limit node text : Keep the text within each node concise. If you need to add more detail, consider using keywords or phrases rather than complete sentences.

Differentiate links : Use different colors, line types, or arrows to represent different relationships between concepts.

Revise and update : Knowledge and understanding and your map evolve. Regularly update it to reflect new insights or information.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1 : Overwhelming Complexity: A common challenge is cramming too much information into a single map and cluttering it.

Solution: Break down complex topics into multiple, interconnected maps. Each map can focus on a particular sub-topic or aspect.

Challenge 2 : Lack of Clarity: The relationships between nodes can sometimes be ambiguous.

Solution: Use linking phrases or words on the connecting lines to specify the nature of the relationship.

Challenge 3 : Getting Started: Starting the map can be intimidating for some.

Solution: Begin with a brainstorming session and jot down all the ideas or concepts related to the topic without worrying about organization. Once you have a list, start identifying connections and building your map.

Learn More about Concept Maps

Learn how to make compelling and user-friendly visuals in our comprehensive course on Information Visualization .

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What is the primary function of concept maps in knowledge representation?

• To increase aesthetic appeal in presentations
• To organize and represent knowledge visually
• To reduce the amount of information in discussions

Which part of a concept map indicates the relationship between concepts?

• Hierarchies

How do concept maps benefit educational settings?

• They foster deeper learning and comprehension.
• They provide entertainment to students.
• They simplify administrative tasks.

What role do concept maps play in problem-solving?

• They highlight profit value in solutions.
• They minimize the need for detailed analysis.
• They visualize complex problems and their components.

In project management, what is a key use of concept maps?

• To provide a visual overview of project phases and tasks
• To serve as documentation for onboarding new staff
• To track employee attendance

Better luck next time!

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Literature on Concept Maps

Here’s the entire UX literature on Concept Maps by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:

Learn more about Concept Maps

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Good accessibility is crucial to making your website or app a success. Not only is designing for accessibility required by law in many countries— if you fail to consider accessibility, you are excluding millions of people from using your product. The UN estimates that more than 1 billion people around the world live with some form of disability and as populations age over the coming years, that number is expected to rise rapidly. Add to that the 10 percent of people who suffer from color blindness, and you start to get an idea of why accessibility is so important—not just for moral and legal reasons, but also so that your products can reach their full potential. You need to design for accessibility!

So… what is a proven and pain-free way to well-executed accessibility? If you’ve ever tried to optimize your site or app for accessibility, you’ll know it can be a complex and intimidating task… and it can therefore be very tempting to leave it until last or, worse still, avoid it altogether. By understanding that accessibility is about more than just optimizing your code, you’ll find you can build it into your design process. This will ensure you are taking a disability advocacy approach, and keeping the focus on your users throughout the development process .

This course will help you achieve exactly that— from handling images to getting the most out of ARIA markup, you ’ll learn how to approach accessibility from all angles. You’ll gain practical, hands-on skills that’ll enable you to assess and optimize for common accessibility issues , as well as show you how to place an emphasis on the quality of the user experience by avoiding classic mistakes. What ’ s more, you’ll also come away with the knowledge to conduct effective accessibility testing through working with users with disabilities.

The course includes interviews with an accessibility specialist and blind user, as well as multiple real-world examples of websites and apps where you can demonstrate your skills through analysis and accessibility tests. Not only will this give you a more practical view of accessibility, but you’ll also be able to optimize your websites and mobile apps in an expert manner—avoiding key mistakes that are commonly made when designing for accessibility.

You will be taught by Frank Spillers, CEO of the award-winning UX firm Experience Dynamics, and will be able to leverage his experience from two decades of working with accessibility. Given that, you will be able to learn from, and avoid, the mistakes he’s come across, and apply the best practices he’s developed over time in order to truly make your accessibility efforts shine. Upon completing the course, you will have the skills required to adhere to accessibility guidelines while growing your awareness of accessibility, and ensuring your organization’s maturity grows alongside your own.

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How to Make Research Concept Map: Explain with Examples

If you’re on a research team and want to organize and illustrate what you know about a topic, creating a research concept map is a smart way to go. It’s a technique for brainstorming research topics or narrowing down a broad notion into a more focused one. Concept maps can also be used to assist you to establish keywords for database searching or to help you come up with a thesis statement for your assignment. Keep reading to learn more about this great technique as well as the procedures for making one.

How to Make Research Concept Map?

What is a concept map, stages in making a research mind map, how to create research concept map online, importance of utilizing a concept map.

A mind map about research is a visual representation of your understanding of a subject. Concept maps help in the organization of your thoughts and the exploration of relationships within a topic. To organize and illustrate what you know about a topic, make an idea map. They essentially represent the knowledge that we people hold in our minds regarding a certain subject.

Make a topic idea – Determine your research mind map topic area by considering what you may possibly research in this area.

Perform a preliminary search – You must now determine whether you have sufficient resources to complete your investigation. Are those resources readily available? Is your topic too broad or too narrow?

Define the research problem or hypothesis – You should be able to establish the boundaries of your research now that you’ve done some preliminary investigation. Consider phrasing your research question as just a question to aid you in writing.

Conduct thorough research – According to a concept map regarding research, Conducting thorough research is one of the recognized resources for the problem or topic.

Begin drafting your report – Start your initial draft with the principal purpose of your report if you’ve described it. If not, submit a one-sentence summary that answers the following question: What is your report’s story?.

Check the draft report for errors -Finally, the report is updated and double-checked at this stage, and research mind map example diagrams and other visual aids are added.

Create professional-looking mind maps with GitMind . This tool is an online brainstorming and graphic design tool that allows users to easily build visualizations such as research concept map models, flowcharts, and other graphic representations. Additionally, this program provides free editing options while also allowing users to send their outputs by URL and edit them wherever they are. Having stated that, the detailed processes for creating a research concept map utilizing this program are provided below.

• First, go to GitMind’s official website and click the “Get Started” button to start.

• Choose the “Mindmap” tab and hit the “New Mindmap” button to start making a mindmap.

• From there, you can start customizing your concept map for research.

• Once done, click the “Save” button to save the modification, also if you can share your outputs via the URL link by simply hitting the “Share” button.

Both speakers and people learning new material might benefit from concept mapping. People can frequently absorb ideas far more rapidly with a research mind map than they can by reading them inside an article or book. This visual way of presenting information that makes it quickly understandable. Because of its simplicity and highlighting of crucial aspects, people can easily read thru a conceptual framework for quick comprehension of the complete system. This can be incredibly useful in a variety of situations, such as a work event when attendees must quickly examine the benefits of new initiatives.

All in all, concept mapping can truly help the organization of a presentation in a logical manner. Visualizations are logical by nature and emphasize clarity as well as order. Presenters are guided to create brief, logical presentations by forcing this structure on them. Even if the user isn’t presenting the research concept map during the presentation, a presenter may build a concept map as a way of arranging his presentation notes. Furthermore, software such as GitMind makes constructing a concept map much easier.

Related posts:

• Best 8 Free Online UML diagram tools in 2024
• What is A Probability Tree Diagram and Real Life Uses

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• Spartanburg Community College Library
• SCC Research Guides
• Choosing a Research Topic
• 1. Concept Mapping

Concept Mapping

A concept map (also called a mind map) is a tool that you can use to help brainstorm a research topic or help you narrow down a general idea into a more focused idea. Concept maps can also be used to help you come up with a thesis statement for your assignment or to help you develop keywords that you can use in your database searching. 

Concept maps also help you see connections between some of your ideas and show you how many different directions you can take your research based on a single idea.

How to create a Concept Map

The great thing about concept maps is that they can look however you'd like and can be done either on a piece of paper or even done online. Some free online concept mapping tools are MindMup , Creately , and Lucidchart , although there are many other tools available.

Start with your main idea in the center of your map. Then to start building out your map, use the 5Ws + How (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How) to start thinking about related concepts. For example, why is this topic so important? Who is influenced by your topic? Where did your topic take place?

Example Concept Map

The general topic of your paper, the All Community Colleges Should be Tuition Free  goes in the center of your page.

Using the 5Ws + How, you have built out a concept map, to give you a better sense of which directions your paper can go. For example, based on your concept map, you might decide to narrow down your topic to who is impacted by community colleges being tuition free or how free tuition makes education more accessible.

• Community members
• Strengthens the workforce.
• Makes education more accessible.
• Current issue.
• Spartanburg Community College
• More community members have the ability to go to college.
• Free tuition helps ease the financial burden of going to college.
• State funding.

Helpful Resources

• Concept Mapping Handout This printable handout can help you get started on a concept map.
• << Previous: What Makes a Good Research Topic?
• Next: 2. Background Research >>
• What Makes a Good Research Topic?
• 2. Background Research
• 3. Narrow Your Topic / Thesis Statements

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The Ultimate Guide to Concept Maps: From Its Origin to Concept Map Best Practices

This concept map tutorial is to help you master the technique of using concept maps, whether it is for your education or for your business.

In this concept map guide, you will find insight into,

What is a Concept Map?

Origin of concept maps.

• The Characteristics of a Concept Map

How to Draw a Concept Map

• How Do You Fine-tune a Concept Map
• Concept Map Templates

Uses of Concept Maps

• What are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Concept Map
• Concept Map Best Practices

Concept maps are a graphical tool that is used to visualize meaningful relationships among concepts. It’s used as a knowledge representation tool, meaning they basically represent the knowledge structure that we humans store in our minds about a certain topic.

Both simple and complex concept maps consist of two things: concepts and relationships among them.

Concept maps were the outcome of a research done in the 1970s at Cornell University by Joseph Novak – an American Educator and Research Scientist – and his research team.

In order to study how children understand basic science concepts, they studied and interviewed many children. However, they found it difficult to identify the changes in the ways children understood science concepts with the detailed interview transcripts alone.

The need to find a better solution to represent children’s conceptual understanding led to the development of the concept map in 1972.

Since then it has been used extensively not only in the fields of education and research but also in business.

The Key Characteristics of a Concept Map

Not all diagrams that have words/ phrases inside nodes are concept maps. Concept maps have specific characteristics that distinguish themselves from other diagrams that are used to represent knowledge. And they are,

Nodes are the circles or the boxes that are used to represent a concept or an idea. These may vary in size, according to their hierarchy on the map; for example, more general nodes at the top of the map may be bigger than the more specific nodes that follow them.

Cross-Links

Concept maps consist of concepts in different domains.  And the relationships between these different domains of knowledge are shown with cross-links.

Linking Words

Or linking phrases if it contains more than a word. These describe the type of relationship between the two concepts and appear on the line connecting them.

Hierarchical Structure

Usually, concept maps are organized hierarchically. This means the most general and inclusive concepts are placed at the top of the map. Those that are more specific are positioned below them. Accordingly, hierarchical concept maps are read from top to bottom.

However, the structure of a concept map is not limited to this structure, it could take a free-form approach too – starting from the center and spreading outwards.

Propositional Structure

A concept map illustrates a set of meaningful propositions about a topic.

Every two concepts (in some cases more than two,) along with the linking phrases, form a meaningful sentence, otherwise known as a proposition.

Focus Question

Generally, a concept map should be woven around a focus question, which is the problem or the issue the concept map seeks to resolve. The better the focus question, the richer the concept map will be.

Underlying Theory

Concept maps are based on Ausubel’s Assimilation theory . This is built around the fact that new knowledge can be learned effectively by linking it to what is already known. Concept maps are seen as a methodological tool of this theory.

Generate new ideas and add structure to your thoughts with concept maps. Explore connections between concepts to better understand them with Creately.

Create a Concept Map

You can either draw a concept map on a piece of paper or on a concept mapping software. Either way, stick to the following steps when you are drawing one.

Step 1: Pick a Topic

The first step is to identify a topic you need to study with your concept map. This could be an idea, a question or an issue.

For example, let’s say you are interested in SEO or Search Engine Optimization.

Step 2: Do a Quick Brainstorm

What are the facts, ideas, concepts, themes, queries etc. that come to your mind when you think about this topic? Note these down as you brainstorm around the topic you have selected. Remember to keep these as concise as possible.

Step 3: Start to Draw the Map

It’s recommended to start a concept map from the top and develop it downward, although you can put down your topic at the center and expand it outwards. Either way make sure that the central topic stands out from the rest (use a bigger node, a different color etc.).

Step 4: Connect the Concepts

Now it’s time to connect what you have brainstormed to the central topic and to each other. Remember, the more important the idea, the closer it should be to the top or the center.

As you identify these connections put down the linking words or phrases to indicate the relationship between the two concepts you are linking.

Once the direct connections between concepts have been identified, look for crosslinks that link together concepts from different areas or domains.

Step 5: Anything Missing?

Scrutinize what you have created to make sure that you haven’t missed anything and that the relationships you have identified make sense.

How Do You Fine-tune a Concept Map?

Fine-tuning the concept map is a crucial step when effectively visualizing complex information. Below are some key pointers to follow.

• Begin by reviewing the entire map to identify areas needing improvement or some adjustments.
• Refine the central idea, if necessary, to ensure that the central idea accurately represents the main topic of the concept map.
• If there are long labels, simplify them using specific or descriptive keywords that represent the concept or idea of the map. This will help to reflect the content of each node accurately.
• Evaluate whether any nodes should be added or removed depending on their relevance and redundancy. Look to see if any additional concepts or ideas should be included.
• Review the connections to ensure they correctly represent the relationships between the concepts. If necessary, add or remove connections or adjust the placement of nodes to reflect the connections better.
• Test the map! Test the map with others for feedback, especially on its accuracy and effectiveness.

Editable Concept Map Examples and Templates

Here are some concept map diagram templates you can edit right away on Creately. Click the image to open it in the editor. Make changes according to your needs and export them as images, PNG, PDF, or JPEG.

Concept Map Example 1

Concept Map Example 2

Concept Map Example 3

Concept Map Example 4

Concept Map Example 5

Concept Map Example 6

Concept Map Example 7

Although first introduced to the field of education, concept maps have gained popularity across a number of other fields over the last few decades.

Concept Maps in Education

In the field of education, concept maps are used as both a learning tool and an evaluation tool to assess student learning.

• Foster meaningful learning by helping create connections between what students already know and new knowledge they acquire
• Organize knowledge around a subject for quick analysis
• Assess students’ understanding to see where their knowledge needs improvement
• Conduct effective brainstorming around a topic
• Present complex concepts in an easily digestible way
• Organize instructional material for courses or curricula
• Can be used as a basis for discussion among students
• Help identify valid and invalid ideas held by students
• Help promote creative and critical thinking among students
• Can be used as an alternative to traditional note-taking and writing assignments

Concept Maps in Business

By design, concept maps are apt for business analysis. In the field of business, concept maps are popularly used to preserve, generate and share knowledge.  

• To facilitate team brainstorming sessions to come up with new strategies, new business concepts etc.
• Support creative and result-oriented approach towards business development
• Can be used as a systematic way to share expert business ideas, insights etc. with others
• Help with planning and drafting business documents, business presentations etc.

Concept Maps in Qualitative Research

Concept maps in qualitative research are used as a methodical research strategy.

• Can be used to plan a research project
• Can help reduce voluminous text-based data into a manageable form without losing the meaning
• Identify interconnections between concepts in a study and analyze themes
• Analyze the information provided by interviewees in a study; help the researcher maintain the meaning of the interview
• Present findings in an effective way

What are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid when Creating a Concept Map

When creating your concept map, avoid the below common mistakes that will undermine the map’s effectiveness.

• Overcomplicating. This will make the map too complex or difficult to understand.
• Focusing too much on the details. Getting bogged down with too many details will derail you from the main focus with too much irrelevant and unnecessary information.
• Not using a hierarchy. Without a hierarchy, the concept map will be too complicated to follow and disorganized.
• Not using consistent formatting. It will be difficult to read or understand without consistent formatting and symbols throughout the map, leading to confusion and misunderstandings.
• Being too rigid by not making changes as and when necessary to reflect new information or insights.
• Not testing the map for effectiveness to help identify areas that may need further improvement.

Concept Mapping Best Practices

Start with a clear central idea.

Begin the concept map with a clear yet concise central idea representing the main topic or theme. The central idea should be easily understood, and it should also be the focal point of the map.

Stick with the Hierarchical Structure

Concept maps organized according to the hierarchical structure are easier to read. As the most general concepts go at the top and the more specific ones coming below them, it can easily be read from top to bottom.

Keep a Single Root Concept

A concept map can have two root concepts, but limiting it to one helps the learner easily identify how concepts are constructed. On the other hand, having two root concepts may make it confusing.

Use Meaningful Keywords

Use meaningful and specific keywords to label the concepts. The labels should be descriptive and accurately represent the content of each node.

Color Code Your Concept Maps

Colors help distinguish concepts in different domains immediately. This does not only make it easier to read the map but when it comes to recalling information, color coding plays a vital role.

Add Visual Cues to the Map

Add visual cues such as symbols and images if necessary to highlight important information and to make the concept map more engaging and visually appealing.

Connect Related Ideas

Add visual cues such as symbols and images to highlight important information and make the concept map more engaging and visually appealing.

Make Sure Linking Phrases Make Sense

Two concepts and a linking phrase should make a meaningful sentence. This could be a word, phrase or sometimes even a symbol such as + or %. In any case, make sure that your concept map reads well.

Be Consistent

Use consistent formatting, symbols, and color codes throughout the concept map to make it easier to read and understand.

Always Base Your Concept Map on a Focus Question

Having one single question to answer will help you better structure your concept map and keep yourself from deviating from your focus.

Keep it Simple

If possible, avoid using complex sentences or too much text. Instead, use simple phrases or keywords to communicate the main ideas and connections.

Link to Further Resources

If you are drawing your concept maps with a concept mapping software, you have the ability to make it more resourceful. When mentioning concepts, you can add active links to your concept maps allowing the reader to study the idea more thoroughly.

Review and Revise

One thing to remember is that concept maps can be changed and updated regularly as needed. This will help to refine your ideas and to identify new connections between concepts.

Feed Back on the Comprehensive Concept Map Tutorial

In this concept map tutorial we have covered, everything – whether you are a stranger to concept mapping or have used it before – you should know when it comes to concept map diagrams. If you are ready to go ahead and draw your concept map, start with the Creately Concept Map Maker .

And don’t forget to leave your feedback!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

FAQs About Concept Maps

More related articles.

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

Concept Maps

What are concept maps.

Concept maps are visual representations of information. They can take the form of charts, graphic organizers, tables, flowcharts, Venn Diagrams, timelines, or T-charts. Concept maps are especially useful for students who learn better visually, although they can benefit any type of learner. They are a powerful study strategy because they help you see the big picture: by starting with higher-level concepts, concept maps help you chunk information based on meaningful connections. In other words, knowing the big picture makes details more significant and easier to remember.

Concept maps work very well for classes or content that have visual elements or in times when it is important to see and understand relationships between different things. They can also be used to analyze information and compare and contrast.

Making and using concept maps

Making one is simple. There is no right or wrong way to make a concept map. The one key step is to focus on the ways ideas are linked to each other. For a few ideas on how to get started, take out a sheet of paper and try following the steps below:

• Identify a concept.
• From memory, try creating a graphic organizer related to this concept. Starting from memory is an excellent way to assess what you already understand and what you need to review.
• Go through lecture notes, readings and any other resources you have to fill in any gaps.
• Focus on how concepts are related to each other.

Your completed concept map is a great study tool. Try the following steps when studying:

• Elaborate (out loud or in writing) each part of the map.
• List related examples, where applicable, for sections of the map.
• Re-create your concept map without looking at the original, talking through each section as you do.

Examples of concept maps

Example 1 : This example illustrates the similarities and differences between two ideas, such as Series and Parallel Circuits. Notice the similarities are in the intersection of the 2 circles.

Example 2 : This example illustrates the relationship between ideas that are part of a process, such as a Food Chain.

Example 3 : This example illustrates the relationship between a main idea, such as climate change, and supporting details.

Example 4 : Outlining is a less visual form of concept mapping, but it might be the one you’re most familiar with. Outlining by starting with high-level course concepts and then drilling down to fill in details is a great way to determine what you know (and what you don’t know) when you’re studying. Creating an outline to start your studying will allow you to assess your knowledge base and figure out what gaps you need to fill in. You can type your outline or create a handwritten, color-coded one as seen in Example 5.

Additional study strategies

A concept map is one tool that you can use to study effectively, but there are many other effective study strategies. Check out these resources and experiment with a few other strategies to pair with concept mapping.

• Study Smarter, Not Harder
• Higher Order Thinking
• Metacognitive Study Strategies
• Studying with Classmates
• Reading Comprehension Tips

Make an appointment with an academic coach to practice using concept maps, make a study plan, or discuss any academic issue.

Attend a workshop on study strategies to learn about more options, get some practice, and talk with a coach.

How can technology help?

You can create virtual concept maps using applications like Mindomo , TheBrain , and Miro . You may be interested in features that allow you to:

• Connect links, embed documents and media, and integrate notes into your concept maps
• Search across maps for keywords
• See your concept maps from multiple perspectives
• Convert maps into checklists and outlines
• Incorporate photos of your hand-written mapping

Testimonials

Learn more about how a Writing Center coach uses TheBrain to create concept maps in our blog post, TheBrain and Zotero: Tech for Research Efficiency .

Works consulted

Holschuh, J. and Nist, S. (2000). Active learning: Strategies for college success. Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon.

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• Methods in educational research

Concept maps

"Concept mapping has powerful utility for the demonstration of understanding. It can be used to display individual knowledge structures for comparison at different stages in the learning process." Kinchin, Streatfield & Hay, 2010, p. 54

Concept maps “are essentially graphic tools for organising and representing knowledge” (Kinchin, Streatfield & Hay, 2010, p. 54). For the purposes of concept mapping, a concept can be defined as: “a perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label” (Novak, 1990, p. 29). Most of the labels used are words, but signs (such as +) can be used also. 

A concept map showing the key features of concept maps

Image source:  Novak & Cañas, 2008.

Using concept maps in research

Concept maps can support quantitative and qualitative analysis, “helping to highlight relationships and patterns within the data” (Kinchin, Streatfield & Hay, 2010, p. 55). Kinchin et al. (2010) have shown how concept maps can be used to support the process of analysing interview data and have suggested various other ways that they might be used to enhance the research interview process. Buhmann and Kingsbury (2015), meanwhile, have developed a systematic framework for quantitatively analysing the structure of concept maps which can be combined and cross-compared with analysis of its content. Hay, Kinchin and Lygo-Baker (2008) have suggested that concept mapping can be used to achieve longitudinal measures of student learning quality in higher education, which in turn can provide “a documented research base from which teaching can be developed” (Hay et al., 2008, p. 310).

Practical guidance on how to construct concept maps is available via the sources below, but in essence they:

• display concepts within circles or boxes with labelled connecting lines to indicate the relations between linked concepts
• arrange concepts in a hierarchical structure: the most inclusive or general (i.e. primary) concept at the top is connected to less general (secondary and tertiary subordinate) concepts lower down
• may include cross links between two concepts to show key relations between different segments of the map. Examples of events or objects may be included to clarify the meaning of a concept and to terminate a branch in the tree structure. Terminal examples are not enclosed, to distinguish them from concepts
• are generally read from the top downwards. Any two concepts and their linking words in a concept map constitute a proposition, i.e. a meaningful statement or 'semantic unit'.

How to construct concept maps

Novak, J. D. & Cañas, A.J. (2008). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them . Technical Report. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Florida.

How to make a concept map  (video)

Concept mapping software, free for educational use

"Since individuals have unique sequences of experiences leading to unique total sets of propositions, all concept maps are to some extent idiosyncratic. However, in a given culture, there is sufficient commonality in experience that persons in that culture share sufficient common meanings for their concepts that they can communicate to one another using language or other symbols." Novak, 1990, pp. 29-31

Further reading

Buhmann, S. Y. & Kingsbury, M. (2015). A standardised, holistic framework for concept-map analysis combining topological attributes and global morphologies. Knowledge Management & E-Learning, 7(1), 20-35.

Hay, D., Kinchin, I. & Lygo-Baker, S. (2008). Making learning visible: The role of concept mapping in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 33 (3), 295-311.

Kinchin, I. M., Streatfield, D. & Hay, D.B. (2010). Using concept mapping to enhance the research interview. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 9 (1), 52-68.

Novak, J. D. (1990). Concept maps and Vee diagrams: Two metacognitive tools to facilitate meaningful learning. Instructional Science , 19(1), 29-52.

How To Write a Research Paper

• 1. Understand the Assignment
• 2. Choose Topic & Write Thesis Statement
• 3. Create Concept Map & Keyword List

Create a Concept Map

Make a list of keywords / search terms.

• 4. Research Your Topic
• 5. Create an Outline
• 6. Write the Paper
• Assignment Calculator

Create a concept map of your topic. A concept map is a visual diagram that shows the relationship between different ideas related to your topic.

To create a concept map:

• Who is affected?
• Who is affected? -- Children, Men, Women
• Causes -- Genetics, Poor diet, Sedentary lifestyle
• Effects -- Poor mental health, Poor physical health, Low self-esteem
• Prevention -- Better diet/nutrition, More exercise/physical fitness, Better medical interventions
• The sub-sub topic Poor Diet be broken further into -- More fast food, Bigger portion sizes, Higher caloric intake, etc.

Selecting the right keywords is important when you begin searching. Keywords are the most important parts of your topic and are necessary to properly communicate with the different research tools you'll be using. Here are some tips to choosing keywords:

• Never use whole sentences or long statements
• Nouns usually make the best keywords
• Keep adding, subtracting, and replacing keywords you use to find a variety of results
• Expand your list by using synonyms, subject terms, and more specific concepts

Below are some examples of education-related keywords to help you get started:

After you have chosen your keywords, you'll want to combine them to form a search statement . You can combine words using "AND" in between. Have more than one word as a keyword? Put quotations around it. This will tell the database or search engine that you using a phrase and not just individual words. Here are few examples drawn from the above keyword list:

→ "academic achievement" AND "class size"

→  education AND children AND "parental involvement"

→  "teacher-student ratios" AND "public schools"

• Choosing Search Terms

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• Next: 4. Research Your Topic >>
• Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023 9:15 AM
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