Organize Ideas with Mind Map

What Is a Mind Map?

Choose [Mind Map] from the mode row
              ↓
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Mind Map    [× Exit]                           │
│ ────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Map “The water cycle.”  [Tier icon] [Send]     │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The selected mode and any progress information appear at the top of the white message box, above a thin divider. If there is no conversation history, you will see icons, brief instructions, and an example. Select About this mode to ask the AI for an explanation. To switch modes, select × and choose another one.

You may recognize every concept and still struggle to say how they fit together. Try arranging them in a small map. Work out the connections as you organize the ideas.

The map lives in the conversation as a text tree, with indentation showing its levels. If a node needs moving, adding, or removing, just describe the change in the conversation.

For example, when studying the water cycle, you could create branches for different changes in water and add an example under each.

Choose a Topic and Branches

Try this sequence:

Choose a topic → Suggest main branches → Add or revise smaller branches
                                                    ↓
                       Explain relationships, check, and finalize

Before thinking about branches, check the size of the topic. “All natural phenomena” is a lot to organize at once. Narrowing it to “The water cycle” makes the branches easier to work out.

Once you have a topic, suggest how you might group its ideas and ask the AI to check. If you already have a map, you can start by checking and revising it.

Here is a short example:

- The water cycle
  - Evaporation
    - Liquid water turns into water vapor
    - Example: Water in a puddle gradually disappears
  - Condensation
    - Water vapor turns into droplets
    - Example: Droplets appear on a cold drink bottle
  - Precipitation
    - Examples: Rain and snow

This map separates different changes in the water cycle, with an explanation or example under each branch.

Check and Revise the Map

If the example about droplets on a cold bottle is under the wrong branch, you can say:

Move “Droplets appear on a cold drink bottle” under “Condensation,” because water vapor cools and turns into droplets.

You can also ask to “Remove the duplicate branch” or “Split this large branch into two groups,” and explain why. If two nodes have the same name, identify the parent branch so the right one is changed.

When checking a map, focus on three things:

Does everything belong to the same topic?
Do the groupings at each level make sense, and do parent and child nodes fit together?
Are the keywords accurate, and are any important conditions missing?

Let the content determine the length of each branch. Focus on accuracy and clear relationships.

Use an AI Draft

If you do not know how to start, say “Give me a sample structure.” The AI can provide a draft for you to explain or use.

For example, it might ask:

Why did you put droplets on a cold bottle under “Condensation”?

You could answer:

Water vapor in the air cools against the bottle and condenses into droplets.

If the draft already makes sense, use it as it is. Explain why the grouping works, or use it to reason through a scenario. That can complete the check. When you do find an error, revise that part.

Explain why the map makes sense to you so the AI can check your understanding.

Choose the Right Structure

A tree works well for grouping concepts or showing the parts of a topic. A step list is clearer for a strict sequence of actions. A table is better for comparing several sets of numbers.

As you organize the map, you may find that many nodes need links across branches. At that point, narrowing the topic can make the relationships in each map easier to follow.

Once you finish, try explaining the map from branch to branch. You can also put it aside and recall the main branches.

Continue, Check, and Finish

After choosing Mind Map, reply “Start” or provide a topic or an existing structure directly.

Say “Continue” to keep organizing, “Check this map” or “Finalize” to review it, and “Pause” or “Stop” to stop. If you want a new map, specify the new topic.

Finalizing a map means its review is complete for this round. Correct flashcard answers are counted separately. You choose whether to stay in this chapter or move to another one.

Once the relationships are clear, try explaining them to a beginner with the Feynman Technique. See choosing a learning mode to compare other activities.