One way to use mind maps is to work with a theme. Generally, students find it challenging to deal with the fact that they have to write a paper with a specific scope that should have some structure and logical coherence. Either they have trouble describing what falls under the topic and how, or, on the contrary, they over-extend their case and end up with a draft paper that is more like an editorial series than a term paper. Before one starts writing, the main task is to think carefully about the structure of the text itself, the themes that appear in it, and the concept you want to choose.

Another common problem is working with the outline. Of course, every text, including the professional one, should have some structure and strategy. In the case of scientific articles, there is even the possibility of using already invented schemes in which you can incorporate your text (for example, introduction, description of the problem, current state of knowledge, methodology, research findings, and conclusion). But even here, you usually cannot do without a specific creative element that allows you to grasp the topic appropriately.

You can use mind maps at this stage of your work in multiple steps - both in defining what you want to do and working with how you want to think or write about an already basically bounded phenomenon. Both actions are essential for successful academic work, and it is in both that the creative techniques commonly used include working with mind maps.

There are many waysof to to find a suitable topic for a thesis, whether a term paper or a professional book. Here, we will suggest one possible way to use mind maps quickly.

As a first step, you need to identify the core area you want to write about - is it educational technology in schools, Pope Alexander VI and his time, modelling stellar atmospheres, or Haruki Murakami? If even here you don't know and would like to cover everything, you need to proceed to step zero - try to choose a topic based on the supervisor you would like to work with, what you already know about the issue, or try to draw a mind map of yourself. How do you see yourself? What are the things that are important to you? Is the topic something that develops or supports who you are or who you would like to be?

Once you have a general concept, reading is a good idea. It doesn't have to be complex articles and research at this stage. Instead, concentrate mainly on encyclopaedic entries or examine the introductions and contents in review monographs and textbooks. This step is not about becoming a narrowly profiled expert but rather about getting a sense of what is being addressed in the field. At the same time, however, it is expected that you want to write about something you already know a lot about and can relate to that knowledge.

Once you've finished reading, you can start the mind map. Write your general topic in the middle of the paper and try to draw the branches (and elaborate on them) that come to mind. Try to put all the ideas you have on the paper. , what you find interesting, or such like. The problem at this stage is often that after the previous step, you already have an idea and then you "push" it onto the map. If you know the topic, you can move on to the second step (specifying the case). If not, try to ignore it. You are depriving yourself of exciting ideas or topics.

Try to spend at least half an hour on this phase. If you are not in a hurry, try to see if anything you have already written interests you and try to read up on these elements. You can then return to the map and add to it as time passes. Whether you spend a day or three on this process is up to you.

Once you've finished writing, here comes the coloured pencil - go through the map and try to circle what you find interesting, helpful and feel you can write about. This step should give you some extract from which you can piece the topic together or go to a supervisor, consultant or specialist databases for advice and further reading.

A similar approach can also be used when specifying a topic - you write a new, clearly defined topic in the middle of the paper (or in the central node of the map in the program) and gradually write down what could be said about it. You can work with each new branch separately. We highly recommend software solutions at this stage, as they allow you to move chapters or individual concepts as the final form gradually crystallizes.

As with defining the topic, it pays to read and spend more time on this step. If you use software solutions, inserting the articles for each subtopic directly as links or attachments to the map is elegant. You can then more easily go back to them, add to them, and know what goes with what.

If you return to a topic, you can edit it more heavily than in the first search phase. If you feel that a part of the map doesn't make sense, you can, for example, give it a light grey colour, moving it off the main screen or otherwise hiding it. You may want to return to it over time, but it doesn't have to be in plain sight all the time.

If you've already done the mapping, it's an excellent time to prioritize - try numbering the topics according to how important they are to you, and at the same time, draw arrows on the map to show what they are related to. You can have different keys for prioritising - from personal interest to having enough literature to the realism of achieving the goal. Then, you need to create the beginning of the document structure and get to work! Usually, one or two more complex areas are sufficient to start with.