Essay & Assignment Preparation using MindGenius Documents/MindGenius v6... · Essay & Assignment...

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Essay & Assignment Preparation using MindGenius This workshop is aimed at those of you who struggle gathering and sorting information when beginning to write an essay. Using MindGenius you can plan essays and presentations visually and then export your work to MS Word or PowerPoint MindGenius is a useful tool for people with dyslexia, as well as anyone who wants a visual tool for processing ideas and planning. Last updated Faye Brockwell September 2017 This document and other Information Services documents are held online on our website: https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/training

Transcript of Essay & Assignment Preparation using MindGenius Documents/MindGenius v6... · Essay & Assignment...

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Essay & Assignment

Preparation using

MindGenius

This workshop is aimed at those of you who struggle gathering

and sorting information when beginning to write an essay.

Using MindGenius you can plan essays and presentations

visually and then export your work to MS Word or PowerPoint

MindGenius is a

useful tool for

people with dyslexia,

as well as anyone

who wants a visual

tool for processing

ideas and planning.

Last updated

Faye Brockwell

September 2017

This document and other Information Services documents are held online

on our website: https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/training

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Contents

Workshop requirements ................................................................................... 3

System and software ................................................................................ 3

1.1.1 Mind Genius 6 .................................................................................... 3

1.1.2 Internet access and a web browser .................................................... 4

1.1.3 Microsoft Office .................................................................................. 4

What is MindMapping? ..................................................................................... 5

The Origin of MindMapping ....................................................................... 6

The 8 Steps to successful Mind Mapping ......................................................... 7

The Screen Layout ........................................................................................... 9

Create a New Map ..........................................................................................10

Creating a New Mind Map ........................................................................10

Saving a Mind Map ..................................................................................10

Editing and Adding Branches ...................................................................11

Collapsing and expanding branches ........................................................13

Zooming ...................................................................................................13

Changing your map layout .......................................................................13

Moving and deleting branches of a map ...................................................14

Deleting branches of a map .....................................................................15

Editing branch text ...................................................................................15

Adding colour and images to your map ....................................................16

5.10.1 Changing the colour of branches automatically .................................16

5.10.2 Editing the appearance of one branch ..............................................16

5.10.3 Adding a boundary ............................................................................17

5.10.4 Editing the appearance of all branches of the same level .................18

Templates ................................................................................................19

5.1.1 Creating a Template .........................................................................19

5.1.2 Using a template for a new map: .......................................................19

5.1.3 Adding pictures to the map ...............................................................20

5.1.4 Adding branch numbers ....................................................................21

Adding Notes and Associated Resources ................................................21

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5.2.1 Adding Notes ................................................................................... 21

Adding links to websites and linking to other files .................................... 22

5.3.1 Adding links to a document .............................................................. 23

Spell-checking your map ................................................................................ 23

Exporting your Mind Map into Word ............................................................... 24

Exporting your Mind Map into PowerPoint ...................................................... 25

Additional help and resources ........................................................................ 26

Workshop requirements

No files are required for this workshop

System and software

1.1.1 Mind Genius 6

This document uses MindGenius v6.

MindGenius is not available for Apple Mac.

1.1.1.1 Within the university:

All Windows computers in student pool rooms and teaching rooms have

MindGenius 6 installed.

Any new university Windows computers have MindGenius 6 installed.

Most staff Windows computers have MindGenius installed, but some may have

an older version as the upgrade to MindGenius 6 was not pushed out to

computers automatically.

If you don’t have MindGenius installed on your computer, or you find you have

an old version, all staff can request free installation of this on their university

Windows computer by contacting the Service Desk on 4444.

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1.1.1.2 Home installation:

All staff and students can also install Mind Genius 6 on their home windows

computers for free. For more information:

visit https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/computing and click on the Software link in the

left-hand menu

click on the Discounted software for staff or Discounted software for students

link on the page

1.1.1.3 Mind Genius on iOS devices

The Mind Genius app is available for free from the App Store. Whilst the

functionality of the app is minimal, you can use the app to create the structure of a

mind map, which you can then email to yourself to work on further using the

desktop app.

1.1.2 Internet access and a web browser

This is required for adding links to the internet to your mind map.

1.1.3 Microsoft Office

This is required for the export to PowerPoint and Word.

1.1.3.1 Within the university:

All Windows computers in student pool rooms and teaching rooms have

Microsoft Office installed.

1.1.3.2 Home installation:

All staff and students can install Microsoft Office on their home windows computers

for free. For more information:

visit https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/computing and click on the Software link in the

left-hand menu

click on the Discounted software for staff or Discounted software for students

link on the page

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What is MindMapping?

Mind mapping (or concept mapping) involves writing down a central idea and

thinking up new and related ideas which radiate out from the centre. By focussing

on key ideas written down in your own words, and then looking for branches out

and connections between the ideas, you are mapping knowledge in a manner which

will help you understand and remember new information.

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The Origin of MindMapping

Linear Note Taking: We tend to write notes linearly, writing on lines and in

sentences. However, this process is lengthy and unfortunately valuable key

information is lost within masses of information quickly.

Highlight Keywords: When reviewing information we tend to highlight or

underline keywords – little ‘nuggets’ of information that are important within

the body of text.

Eliminate Insignificant Information: MindMapping takes this a stage

further. By highlighting and focusing on keywords you eliminate at least

90% of the notes and are left with the highlighted, important text.

Connect keywords: The keywords don’t mean much on their own but when you connect, order and associate them they form a comprehensive summary.

Categorise the Information: The use of colour helps to

distinguish and categorise information. Your brain is more likely

to be excited by colour and as a result become more interested in

the subject content.

Personalise the Information: Create your own personal images

and symbols that will help you understand and remember the

relationships between your thoughts.

Mind Maps can be applied to most of life's situations providing clarity of thought and

purpose in whatever needs tackled. You can use a map for:

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The 8 Steps to successful Mind Mapping

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Why Computer-aided mapping?

Both maps above are based on text on the website www.mindgenius.com

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The Screen Layout

Before we begin to work with MindGenius it is important to understand the screen

layout.

1 The File tab is where you will find the key functions such as save and print.

2 The ribbon appears at the top of the screen. The icons on the ribbon allow

quick access to functions in MindGenius. Icons are grouped together on tabs.

3 The Map Explorer appears at the left hand side of the Map Editor and is used

to navigate large Maps. The Map Explorer immediately allows you to focus in

on an area of the Map

4 The Notes Editor is displayed below the Map Explorer. It is a text editor

allowing you to add related notes to any selected branch

Note: You can change the location of the Notes editor by clicking on the

button on the Task Pane. This will move the Notes Editor to the bottom of the

screen (as found in PowerPoint).

5 Below the notes editor is the task pane. This is a series of buttons that give

you easy access some features of MindGenius such as Word Cloud and Picture

Gallery. Clicking on an icon in the Task Pane loads the function into the window

above.

6 The Map Editor takes up the largest part of the screen and is where maps are

created and edited

7 The Navigation Pane appears at the right hand side of the Map Editor and

comprises a template gallery with many pre-defined templates to get you

started, as well as resources to help you use Mind Genius.

1. File tab

2. Ribbon

3. Map

Explorer

4. Notes

editor

5. Task

pane

7. Navigation Pane

6. Map editor

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Create a New Map

So let’s get mapping!

Our assignment is to write an essay on making the perfect cup of tea.

Creating a New Mind Map

Open MindGenius on your computer (on a university student computer you will

find MindGenius within the Applications folder).

Click on the File tab and click to select New from the menu or click on

New Blank Map in the Navigation Pane.

In the dialogue box type the text for the root branch of your map and click OK.

The Root Branch is the first branch in a map; it describes what the map is

about.

Exercise B Create a new mind map

1 Create a new map with the title Making the perfect cup of tea.

Saving a Mind Map

Click on the File tab and click to select Save from the menu.

Specify a location to save the map.

Students working on university computers should save the map to One Drive or

to a memory stick.

Specify a name for the map and Click on Save.

Exercise C Save your map

1 Save your map with the filename Tea essay.

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Editing and Adding Branches

Double-click on a branch to edit the text.

To add a new branch:

o click once on the parent branch

o type the text for the new branch

o press the Enter key on your keyboard.

To add another new branch at the same level:

o type the text for the new branch

o press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Exercise D Essay essentials

All essays need an:

Introduction

Main bodymain

Conclusion

Bibliography

Let’s put these key elements for an essay into our map to ensure that we don’t forget them. Let’s start by adding the first one:

1 Single click on the branch Making the perfect cup of tea and then type

Introduction and then press the Enter key on your keyboard.

The new branch has been added to the parent branch Making the perfect cup of

tea

2 Use these techniques to build the map as shown below:

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Exercise E Brainstorming your ideas for your essay

Now we can get our ideas down for our essay.

At this point, don’t worry about the order of your ideas or the structure. We can

organise that later.

For now, just think of everything you can to do with making a cup of tea and add it

to your map. The technique for this is:

Click once on the topic on your map that you want to brainstorm ideas about

Type your idea (no need to click the mouse anywhere else)

Press ENTER on the keyboard

Type your idea (no need to click the mouse anywhere else)

Press ENTER on the keyboard

And so on.

Let’s do that now. Let’s add ideas of the main body of our essay (once we have

these we can plan the introduction and the conclusion later)

1 Single click on the branch Main body and then type Cup type and then press

the Enter key on your keyboard.

The new branch has been added to the parent branch Main body

2 Use these techniques to build the map as shown below:

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Collapsing and expanding branches

When sub branches are added to a branch the icon appears. Click on it to see

what happens.

The branch is collapsed. This is a useful tool for students using a mind map for

revision as it allows them to hide the sub-branches for a certain topic and test how

much they can recall.

Zooming

Is your map too big to read on the screen? Try zooming out using the

Zoom tool on the toolbar at the bottom right of the screen.

Changing your map layout

Do you find the map layout difficult to read?

Each of us has a preference for mind mapping.

To change your map layout:

Click on the Home tab

Click on the Map Layouts icon and choose

a map layout.

Some like to read maps left to right (as the maps on the previous pages are laid

out).

Others prefer a more circular

layout:

Whilst others may prefer a list-like layout like the one

shown on the left.

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Moving and deleting branches of a map

Now we have our ideas down, we need to organise them into a logical order for our

essay. We can do this by moving the branches around.

To move a branch, drag and drop with your mouse. The

arrows on the screen will indicate which parent branch you

are moving to:

These move a branch to become a sub-branch of

the branch the pointer is over, i.e.in the example on the right

it would become a sub-branch of Pitfalls of a Team. The

arrow direction changes depending on the position of the

branch.

In this case the branch will be inserted at the same level

as of the branch the pointer is over but above it.

In this case the branch will be inserted at the same level

as same level as of the branch the pointer is over but below

it.

The no-entry sign is displayed dropping the branch will

have no effect and no move will take place.

Exercise F Moving branches to form your essay structure

Looking at our map, we can get an overview of our ideas and try to see patterns

and links and see which of the ideas are more important for each topic.

For instance, the answer to the questions Milk first? depends on the answer to two

other questions – the type of cup and whether a teapot is used. So it may be best to

talk about those two things first in our essay.

In addition to this, the most important thing about when to add your milk is that the

tea needs to be brewed at 100C. So we should put that first when talking about that

topic.

With this in mind, move the branches on your map so that your map looks like the

map on the next page:

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Deleting branches of a map

To delete a branch:

click to select the branch

press the Delete key on the keyboard.

A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. Click on OK.

Exercise G Deleting branches

1 Delete the Glass node from the cup type.

2 Add another node in its place called Paper.

Editing branch text

To edit the text on a branch, double-click on that branch.

Exercise H Editing branch text

1 Change the China cup type to read Bone China.

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Adding colour and images to your map

When you started to create your MindGenius Map it was

based on a default style template that defined the shapes of

each branch and the colour and fonts of the text used.

Some people find colour and images help when planning

using a mind map.

You can change the colour and appearance of your map in a number of different ways.

Note: some people find it useful to change the colours on their map. However, it is

not an essential part of using MindGenius for planning an essay or assignment.

5.10.1 Changing the colour of branches automatically

If colour helps you to distinguish between areas of your map, try the auto-colour

function:

Click on the Format tab.

Click on the Auto-colour icon.

Click on the Auto-colour icon again to turn it

off.

5.10.2 Editing the appearance of one branch

1 Click once on the branch you want to edit to select it. For this exercise, click

once on the Cup type branch.

2 Click on the Format tab on the ribbon at the top of the screen and use the icons

to format the branch.

3 For example, use the Solid Fill option to change

the colour of the Branch to Light Green.

4 For more formatting options, click on the

icon in the Branch group on the Format tab

(under the Connector Style icon) to open the

Branch Appearance dialogue box.

5 For example, click on the Branch Shape tab to

edit the style of your selected branch including

the Shape Style, Line type/colour and Fill Colour.

6 Click on the Font tab to edit the appearance of the text within the branch.

7 Click OK to finish editing the branch.

Try editing Font Colour and Font Size and the Shape Style, Fill Colour and Line

Style of the Teapot or cup? branch on your map.

Note: if you would like to apply this formatting to any other branches on your map:

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Click on the Save as style button, type a name for this branch style and click

OK.

To apply the style to a selected branch:

Click on the branch to select it.

Click on the icon in the Branch group on the Format tab to open the Branch

Appearance dialogue box.

Choose your style from the list in the Existing Style box and click OK

5.10.3 Adding a boundary

You can add a boundary to an area of the map for extra emphasis and to group

areas together.

Click once to select the highest branch of the area want to add the boundary to.

On the Format tab, within the Boundary group, use the Style and Fill

options to apply a boundary to the selected branch and all of its sub-

branches.

Exercise I Adding a boundary

Let’s try that.

1 Add a boundary to the Milk first? node of your map.

That section of your map may now look something like this:

2 Before moving on try editing the properties of a branch in different ways,

change the fonts used and the styles of the shapes and connectors to make

you familiar with what is possible.

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5.10.4 Editing the appearance of all branches of the same level

What if MindGenius’ default colours and shapes used in a map are not working for

you? Simple: you update the styles used in the map.

Unless you specify otherwise, a new map is based on MindGenius’ default

template. From this template the map inherits styles. The styles determine how

the map looks. That is to say, how each branch at each level of the map is

displayed in terms of fonts, branch shapes, connectors, etc. The styles of a map

can be edited at any time.

Exercise J Editing the appearance of branches of the same level

Editing a style saves you time as if you update the formatting for a certain branch

level, the changes will automatically apply to all branches of the same level.

Click on the Format tab.

Click on the Edit Map Style icon to open the Format Styles window.

On the Style Formatting tab

choose the branch level to update.

Format the branch as required

using the icons on the tabs.

Click on OK. This will apply the

changes to the map.

If the changes are not applied

to the map, check that the Style

Assignment tab has the correct

assignments.

Let’s change the look of the Core and the Level 1 Branches:

1 On the Format tab, click on the Edit Map Style icon, then click on the Style

Formatting tab

2 Select Core from the list of levels on the left (this will allow us to change the

root level of the map)

3 Click on the Branch Shape Tab and choose Ellipse from the Shape Style

List, note the sample changing

4 Try changing the font colour for Level 1 to red. Then change the branch fill to

be yellow. Click OK when you have finished.

You can see that editing the style effects as many levels that you have chosen to

alter, at the same time. This can be a good way of quickly applying an appropriate

look to a completed map. We can now use this new style to create a new template.

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Templates

So now you know how to alter the style of a map. What if you have created your

own style and want to use it every time you start a new map? What if you find

yourself creating many similar maps? In this case you need to create a template. A

template can contain more than simply an embedded style; it can also contain

content.

5.1.1 Creating a Template

To create a template:

Update your styles as above. If you want the

template to open as a new empty map, without any

predefined content, delete all of the branches from

the map too before you save it as a template.

Click on the File tab and choose Save As.

Click on the drop down in the Save as type box and choose MindGenius

Template.

In the Save in box, choose a file location (staff can use MyFiles or use the

default file location, students should save to their M drive or USB stick).

Specify a name for your template in the File Name box. For this example, name

the template mind mapping

Click on Save.

5.1.2 Using a template for a new map:

Click on File tab, hover over New with your mouse and click select

From Other Template.

A new map appears.

The Navigation Pane on the right shows all the available templates,

including those provided by MindGenius including dissertation, essay

& presentation planning.

Scroll down and click on My Templates.

Navigate to find where you saved your template, select the it and click Open.

5 For this exercise, choose the mind_mapping template we just created.

The map opens, prompting you to re-name the root branch – you can alter the

name core level. After clicking OK, note that this new map looks identical to the one

you opened earlier but it is a different map. It is based on the template you created.

Using this procedure you can create templates for commonly used types of maps.

Remember there already is a set of templates included with MindGenius

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5.1.3 Adding pictures to the map

It is believed that the memory's storing and recalling powers can be enhanced

through the use of pictures for emphasis and association.

In other words adding associated pictures to a branch may help you remember the

information held in that branch. So let’s add some pictures!

Click once on the branch that you want to add the picture to.

On the Insert tab click on the Pictures icon.

Locate the picture file on your computer, click once to select it and then click

Open.

To change the size of the picture, click on node containing the picture and then

use the and icons within the Pictures group on the Insert

tab.

To change the position of the picture within a node, use the Position icon within

the Pictures group on on the Insert tab.

To delete an image from a node, click on the node, on the Insert tab click on

the icon within the Pictures group on on the Insert tab.

Exercise K Add a picture from file

1 Add a picture to the Cup branch. Look in the My Pictures folder or library on

your computer* and choose a picture file to add.

Your map may now

look something like

this:

*You may need to find some suitable pictures on the internet and save them to your

computer first. Remember to reference any images from the web if your mind map

will be used as part of an assignment.

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5.1.4 Adding branch numbers

Branches are added sequentially, in other words they have a numeric order. To display the

branch numbers:

click on the Format tab

Click on the Numbering icon.

Adding Notes and Associated Resources

Completing an essay or assignment involves a varying degree of time spent researching the

subject. MindGenius allows you to store the information associated with your branches in a

number of different ways. So let’s have a look at what you can do.

5.2.1 Adding Notes

Branch titles should be short. However, sometimes you want to store more text for a

branch, for example:

explanatory notes about a topic

a flash of inspiration for what you want to write about a topic

a quotation that you want to use when writing about a topic.

The Notes Editor can be used to contain this additional information.

If you export your map to MS Word, any notes will be included as body text in your Word

document.

If your export your map to MS PowerPoint, any notes will be included in your presentation

as speaker notes.

Click to select the branch you want to add notes to.

In the Task Pane, click on the icon to display the Notes Editor.

Above the notes pane, click on the icon to dock the notes panes below the map

and to make more formatting

options available.

Click inside the Notes Editor

and type your notes

Click anywhere on the map. An icon will appear

on that branch to indicate that there are notes

associated with the branch. To view the notes you

will need to click on the branch.

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Tip: You can copy and paste text into the Notes Editor documents using CTRL+C

and CTRL+V as normal. You can also format the notes using the toolbar above the

Notes Editor.

Exercise L Add notes to your map

1 For this exercise add the following notes to the ‘Optimum temperature for

brewing is 100C’ sub-branch..

“Black and Herbal teas brew best at a full boil temperatures 208 and 212 degrees

Fahrenheit.”

Taken from https://www.twoleavestea.com/water-temperature/ on 28/09/2015.

Adding links to websites and linking to other files

During your research process you will probably gather resources to support your

essay or assignment; these can also be stored in your map. Here’s how:

Exercise M Adding links to websites

Let’s say you’ve found a collection of useful websites that you would like to refer to

in your assignment or essay, adding them to a branch would be a useful way of

storing and using the links, so here’s how:

1 Click on the sub-branch that you want to add a link to.

2 On the Insert tab click on the on the Hyperlink icon.

3 In the dialogue box that opens up type the details of the website and then click

on OK.

4 For this exercise, add the details above to the ‘Optimum temperature for

brewing is 100C’ sub-branch.

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5 You will see an icon has appeared on the relevant branch (the icon will be the

icon for your default internet browser).

6 Now add a second website of your choice, following the instructions 1 – 3.

The icon will change to 2 paperclips . Hover

over this icon with your mouse, you will notice a

list appear, detailing the web sites you’ve just

added.

To visit one of the sites simply click on the title.

5.3.1 Adding links to a document

It’s possible to add attachments to your map. For instance, if you’ve created a

separate document containing your detailed notes for a certain topic, you can add a

link to this document to your map. This is useful when you export your map to Word

as all linked information can be exported with your map.

To add a link to a document:

Click on the sub-branch that you want to add a link to.

On the Insert tab, click on the Attachment icon.

In the Add Attachments dialogue box, type the description of the file in

the Description box.

Click on the Browse icon.

Locate the document file on your computer and double-click to select it

Click OK.

An icon will appear on your selected branch to indicate that an attachment has

been added. For instance, if you add a Word document, you will see the logo. If

you add multiple attachments to one branch, the icon will change to a paperclip

Exercise N Adding a link to a document

1 Try adding a file attachment to one of the branches in your map.

Spell-checking your map

To check the spelling of your map:

Click on the Tools tab on the ribbon and click on the Spell Check icon.

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Exporting your Mind Map into Word

So we’ve created branches, added images, resources and notes, now how do we

get this information into an essay form?

Exercise O Exporting into Word

1 Close MS Word if you already have it open on your computer.

This is because the export to Word only works if you do not already have MS

Word open on your desktop.

2 Save your map.

3 Click on the Export tab on the ribbon and click on the Word icon.

4 In the Save As dialogue box that appears:

o choose the location to save your file to (your One Drive or a USB

stick)

o give the file a name

o click on Save.

When using a university computer, do not save to the desktop or to the C drive

as these files will be deleted when you log off.

5 In the Save as Word dialogue enter the details as shown below:

6 Click OK.

Word should now open with your new document, ready for you to expand upon your

initial preparation and research.

If you get an error message saying that the call was rejected by the rejectee, it may

be that you have Word open in another window. Close Word and try to export your

map again.

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Each branch of your map will be assigned a heading style according to its level.

Using styles in Word will save you a lot of time when working with long documents,

such as essays and theses, as they allow you to:

Save time formatting long documents

Produce professional-looking documents

Create tables of contents easily

Edit the structure of your document easily.

If you use Word, you should really know how to use styles properly. To learn more

about styles, see our Working with Long Documents information on

https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/training/Pages/Word/longdocs.aspx

Exporting your Mind Map into PowerPoint

Mind Maps can be exported to MS PowerPoint. Your map forms the structure of the

presentation.

You can plan the structure of the presentation in Mind Genius. The export works as

follows:

The Core node will export as the title slide of the presentation.

An introduction slide is created with the Core as the title and all Level 1 nodes

shown as bullet points.

One slide per Level 1 node is created*, with sub-branches appearing as

bulleted text.

Notes are exported as speaker notes.

Exercise P Exporting into PowerPoint

1 Close PowerPoint.

2 Save your map.

3 Click on the Export tab on the ribbon and click on the PowerPoint icon.

4 In the Save As dialogue box that appears:

o choose the location to save your file to (your One Drive or a USB stick)

o give the file a name and click on Save.

When using a university computer, do not save to the desktop or to the C drive

as these files will be deleted when you log off.

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Use the drop down to specify the maximum

number of bullet points per slide.

Specify which levels in your map will be converted

to the titles of slides in your presentation.

With the default setting of Level 1 and Page Break:

o The Core node will export as the title

slide of the presentation.

o An introduction slide is created with the

Core as the title and all Level 1 nodes

shown as bullet points.

o One slide per Level 1 node is created*,

with sub-branches appearing as bulleted text.

For larger maps, you may want to change this.

Click on the Include Options tab for more options.

Use the checkboxes to specify which elements of your

map you want to export and Click OK.

With the default settings:

the root branch has become the title of the slideshow

each level 1 branch has become a slide header

sub-branches have become bulleted points on the slide

notes have become the speaker notes of each slide.

your slideshow is practically ready!

Additional help and resources

For more training materials on using MindGenius, see:

https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is/training/Pages/Mind%20Mapping/mindgenius.aspx

For more information about mind mapping you may be interested in visiting:

www.mind-mapping.co.uk

http://www.mindgenius.com

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/documents/structuringanessaymindmap.pdf