Reading Strategies

10. Engaging in Reading: Sorting Ideas Using a Concept Map

A concept map is a way to visually organize your understanding of information. It is hierarchical in nature, beginning with the subject or topic at the top, middle or side of the page, and then branching into sub-topics and details.

Bubbl.us is a great online concept mapping tool. You may wish to have this website open while reading to help you further your understanding of the content of the text.

Some concept maps use a cascading sheet instead. There are a series of layers to this type. At the top of the map is the main concept; under that is a sentence summarizing the concept; below that are examples, words that connect, and ideas about the context; followed by the meaning of the concept and finally personal connections the reader has made to the concept.