Mind maps are quite a variable tool for learning or even records and statements from literature. At this point, therefore, we will try to offer some comments on how mind maps can be used in book reading. However, this general approach can also be applied well when working with a specialist text.

The process outlined below is beneficial for less experienced readers or mind mappers. More advanced or professional users will probably (as with active or critical reading methods) reach for a less formalised and algorithmic procedure.

You are reading.

If you want to make a mind map based on a book, it's a good idea to start by reading it. It is up to each individual to choose the speed-reading method and get a basic idea of the structure and the content of the text, or whether to read with more thought and understanding. However, a mind map should primarily reflect the inner world of each reader so the subjective reading experience and impression of the text cannot be easily replaced. Phenomenological philosophy speaks of the natural world, the world that exists in each person's mind, in which new information or knowledge gradually emerges. Indeed, don't be afraid to be subjective. You can find an objective book description in the annotation or the summary.

You work with structure.

First, if one makes maps digitally, working with the structure relatively freely at this stage is possible. One of the simplest methods is to copy the table of contents and write down a sentence about what that part of the book was about. This activity produces a reasonably comprehensive map that is not entirely easy to understand at first glance but serves as a broad basis for further work. It depends on the type of book and the reader what depth and thoroughness of description they choose. Generally, a maximum of one paragraph per item of logical structure (title, subtitle, diagram, etc.) is recommended. Even then, you will have a very comprehensive map for the book. It is usually more work with chapters rather than with individual paragraphs.

Cleaning the contents.

Once you have everything from the book written in the structure, you can do some cleaning. At this stage, you try to make each paragraph (each paragraph should be one word or one image) you type into an objective mind map section - one word per branch, images, branching. While the paragraphs themselves do not need to be deleted, in digital tools, it is possible to make notes from them and preserve the content for later. The mind map then provides a basic overview and structure; the notes can be used to access further information. Ideally, if you are creating this map as another one (as in redesigning the map) - we highly recommend not deleting the original one. You may still find individuals from it useful.

Repairs.

By working atomically with individual paragraphs, the previous step usually results in a redundant map in many nodes, unnecessarily verbose, or missing something essential. At this stage, it is advisable to proofread the entire map - delete nodes, add information, or rearrange the structure. Here, it is no longer necessary for the map to exactly copy the content of the text, but it is possible to reflect your vision of the world and content.

Links.

If you have the structure ready, you can work with the contexts. Arrows, puffs, groups, and areas can be drawn on the map. In short, put together everything that is logically related and try to describe these relationships. This is a significant part of working with content, as it gives a new perspective on the text and leads to its interpretation and understanding. This is also when you start to work critically with other sources - you can link the map to what you have already read, to other articles, information, references, and authors. You don't have to be systematic yet, but there should already be some critical context emerging - the book you have read will rarely hang in the air for you.

Appearance improvements.

At this stage, the mind map is almost complete. While you have been concerned mainly with content and not so much with appearance and other details, it is possible to correct that here. You can add icons images, move branches, recolor nodes, resize, etc. This step aims to align the visual and content of the map but also to improve its clarity no usability.

Beyond the border.

At this point, the reader begins to work with their ideas and add additional information to the map - by referring to other maps, documents, websites, or notes. Through this step, the mind map becomes a document that does a deeper reflection on the topic, and the map writer attempts to place the mind map in a broader context. The map also becomes a kind of multimedia supplement to the book, developing and supporting it. The work with external sources should already be systematic, and the text (or its core ideas) should be embedded in a specific body of knowledge.

You read again.

It is a good idea to take another look at the mind map to make sense of it. Looking at it can help both to gain insight into the text you are reading and to look at it from a different perspective and see if one has forgotten something on the map, which can happen during various stages. This is the stage that completes the reflection on the text. Sometimes, rereading the whole text and comparing it with the mind map is recommended. If not by continuous careful reading, then at least by speed-reading.

You are sharing.

In the last step, the concept created this way can be shared with other users. The map does not have to be kept to oneself; by enriching the content, the idea may be helpful or interesting for other readers. It is possible to use a simple export and various formats that keep the map interactive or open for further editing. At the same time, at this last stage, the whole topic can also be used - you can use the map to write a critical review of an essay or otherwise exploit it for your work.