- A focus question is a question that will be answered by the knowledge that is mapped.
-  Focus questions that require explanation, rather than simple description or classification, typically lead to better concept maps. 
   - Focus questions that call for more event explanations require deeper, more meaningful thinking than those that describe object characteristics

Syracuse University

In learning to construct a concept map, it is important to begin with a domain of knowledge that is very familiar to the person constructing the map. It is also important to define the area of knowledge to be mapped. 

Features of a concept map:
- Focus question
- Identify key concepts 
- Preliminary concept map 
- Revise map 

Constructing Good Concept Maps 

Novak, Joseph & Cañas, Alberto. (2007). Theoretical origins of concept maps, how to construct them, and uses in education. Reflecting Education. 3. 

Theoretical origins of concept maps, how to construct them, and uses in education.

Focus Question

- Identify 15-20 key concepts that apply to this domain
- Concepts could be listed, and then from this list a rank ordered list should be established from the most general, most inclusive concept, to the most specific, least general concept. 
   - We refer to the list of concepts as a parking lot, since we will move these concepts into the concept map as we determine where they fit in. 

Identifying Key Concepts 

You can construct the preliminary concept map on a sheet of paper or by writing all of the concepts on Post-its, or preferably by using Cmap Tools 

Making the Preliminary Concept Map 

It is important to recognize that a concept map is never finished. 
- After a preliminary map is constructed, it is always necessary to revise this map 
- Other concepts can be added. 
- Good maps usually result from three to many revisions. 

Revising the Concept Map 

- Students often comment that it is hard to add linking words onto the “lines” of their concept map. 
   - This is because they poorly understand the relationship between the concepts, or the meanings of the concepts, and it is the linking words that specify this relationship.
- Once students begin to focus on good linking words and on the identification of good cross links, they can see that every concept could be related to every other concept.
- This also produces some frustration, and they must choose to identify the most prominent and most useful cross links.
- This process involves what Bloom identified as high levels of cognitive performance, namely evaluation and synthesis of knowledge. 
   - Concept mapping is an easy way to encourage very high levels of cognitive performance when the process is done well. This is one reason concept mapping can also be a very powerful evaluation tool

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