Mind Mapping for Students

Liam Hughes, founder of Biggerplate, reflects on his own university struggles and how mind mapping software “saved” his degree. In this session, he shares practical applications of mapping for students, focusing on note taking, knowledge building, and essay planning. Drawing on his student journey at Bristol and later experiences with BiggerPlate, he demonstrates how maps reduce panic, improve structure, and create single sources of truth for learning and revision. Key Themes & Topics (Timestamped) [0:03] Introduction and background – Liam frames the webinar as based on his own student experience, admitting he was a poor student until mapping transformed his approach. [6:11] Audience focus – Clarifies that the session is aimed mainly at university-level students, though also relevant for teachers and education consultants. [7:32] Three key use cases – Defines the focus areas for students: note taking, knowledge building, and essays/assignments. [9:34] Exam panic story – Shares the experience of nearly failing his second year, then discovering mind mapping through his father, which unlocked a new way of studying. [10:58] Biggerplate origins – Explains how his own rescue by mind mapping inspired the creation of Biggerplate as a resource for students. [13:44] Note-taking challenges – Poor handwriting, distraction, and variable lecturer delivery made traditional notes ineffective. [15:49] Note taking with mapping – Mapping enabled simultaneous capturing and sense-making, using keywords and hierarchy to build understanding in real time. [20:19] Structured vs unstructured lectures – Shows how maps can mirror chronological delivery or impose order on rambling presentations. [28:23] Knowledge building – Advocates creating a “subject master map” with linked detailed maps for modules, authors, and research, turning scattered notes into connected understanding. [33:29] Topic notes and hyperlinks – Demonstrates embedding quotes, abstracts, and links to online journals, creating a “single source of truth” for revision. [42:40] Essay and assignment planning – Maps used to structure research, arguments, and flow of paragraphs, enabling better-structured essays and even a dissertation. [49:44] Sharpening the axe – Concludes with Lincoln’s quote, stressing that mapping may feel slow at first but pays off in faster, better execution for exams and writing. Featuring: XMind