Concept map vs mind map: definition
A concept map is a diagram of concepts joined by labelled links that read as statements, such as "plants make glucose", and it can be a network with no single centre.
What it means
The core of a concept map is the labelled link. Two concepts and the words between them make a statement that can be right or wrong, which is why concept maps are used to test understanding.
Concept map vs mind map
A mind map has one centre and unlabelled branches, each topic with one parent. A concept map has no required centre, any concept can link to any other, and every link has a label. Mind maps are quick to draw and good for brainstorming. Concept maps take more care and are good for showing how ideas relate.
Using both
Start with a mind map to get the ideas down. Where relations between branches matter, add relationship lines with labels. That gives some of the concept map’s value without leaving the tree.
In MindmapPal
In the MindmapPal app for iPhone and iPad, relationship lines can have labels, so a mind map can carry a few concept-map links. The web editor on this site does not draw new relationship lines.
Example
A biology concept map has boxes for plants, glucose, sunlight and cells. Lines carry labels: "use", "produce", "feed". Reading box, label, box gives a sentence.
Related terms
- Mind map: A mind map is a diagram that puts one idea in the centre and arranges related ideas around it as branches, with the details of each branch nested under it.
- Relationship line: A relationship line is a line, often with arrowheads and a label, drawn between any two topics in a mind map to show a connection that is not part of the branch structure.
- Knowledge map: A knowledge map is a diagram that lays out the topics of a subject or the knowledge held by a person or team, organised so you can see what is covered and what is missing.
- Spider diagram: A spider diagram is a diagram with a topic in the middle and related ideas on lines around it, like the legs of a spider, and is closely related to a mind map.
- Radial thinking: Radial thinking is the habit of starting from one idea and branching out to every related idea around it, rather than following a single line of reasoning.
See it in a template
Research paper outline mind map template