Concept map

A concept map is a visual representation used to organize and display relationships between concepts or ideas. Concepts are typically arranged in a hierarchical structure, with more general or broader ideas at the top and more specific concepts linked below. Concept maps often use nodes (circles or boxes) to represent concepts and lines or arrows to show connections and relationships between them.

  • Concept maps help to visually organize knowledge, making it easier to understand complex topics by showing how ideas are related. They are often used in education, research, and planning to:
    • Clarify relationships: Concept maps show how different ideas connect, helping people to understand connections between concepts that might not be immediately obvious.
    • Simplify complex subjects: By breaking down large topics into smaller, manageable parts, concept maps help people grasp complicated subjects more easily.
    • Facilitate learning and memory: Visually representing information helps learners see the big picture, making it easier to recall and understand the relationships between ideas.
    • Encourage critical thinking: Building a concept map involves analyzing and organizing information, which promotes deeper thinking and understanding.
  • In practice, a concept map might start with a central idea (like “light and colour”) and branch out to related subtopics, each with its own linked concepts (e.g., “visible spectrum,” “wavelengths,” “perception”).