A concept map is a diagram that illustrates the map creator’s knowlege of a body of information/concepts and the interrelations among the various parts of that knowledge set. A concept map consists of a nodes that consist of a “concept” or item. The nodes are linked with directional arrows that are annotated to show the relationship between the nodes. The nodes are arranged in a heirarchial way such that the most inclusive concepts are at the “top” of the map with branches leading in to various other clusters. One important component are the links that cut across the heirarchy to show relations among the various concepts. The resulting construction allows the map creator to illustrate how various concepts are complexly interwoven and the resulting diagram often looks a bit like a spider web.

Here is one example of one:

By English Wikipedia user Vicwood40, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36966471

The idea behind these maps is to allow (or force) you to explore and develop your understanding of a topic. They also require you to organize your ideas in ways that really help you “see” how the parts fit together. They have been used in a wide range of disciplines (I have seen good examples in nursing, business, education and history). Concept maps were developed by Novak and his collaborators, and there is a learning theory basis for the exercise. The are popular enough that you can even purchase computer software to assist the creation of the maps.

If you want to know more, a good place to start is: “Introduction to Concept Mapping” by Novak.  This article has the basics with some good hints on making concept maps. (A more detailed look at the underlying theory and how to use them is presented in an article by Novak & Cañas).

In this course, we will use concept maps to build an understanding of some basic geological theories. One of the curious aspects of early geological thought is how two contradictory theories could explain the same geological observations. Concept maps will allow us to explore the logic of each theory. These maps will also provide the “raw material” for your papers. Past students have commented on how much easier it was to write papers following a concept mapping exercise.

Links to course homepage and course schedule.