- "Recent additions to the Novakian…" concept map attempt "…to capture 'cyclical' relationships…" which represent "…complex natural and social systems"
- constructing a Novakian concept map differ greatly from constructing a mind map

Stages in developing a Novakian concept map:

"1- Develop a declarative-type focus question (e.g., ‘‘What is inflation?’’)

2- Devise a ‘‘parking lot’’ of concepts and ideas that are related to the concept of inflation, and the question to be answered. The purpose of this stage is brainstorming. The resulting concepts may or may not be used in the final map (Novak and Can ̃as 2006). The concepts are placed in circles or boxes to designate them as concepts.

3.- Put concepts in hierarchical order of importance in a provisional map. An ‘‘expert skeleton map’’ can be started by an instructor in a class to scaffold the learning process, aid student participation and give students confidence. Students can complete the map themselves with the focus question and concepts provided.

4- Link lines are then provided between the hierarchical concepts from top to bottom. The conventions have changed over the decades since the inception of concept mapping. Arrows were originally only used when it is necessary to link a lower concept with a higher concept. However, this convention has recently been revised by concept mappers to allow for arrows for all directions (Ahlberg 2004).

5.- Devise suitable cross-links for key concepts in the map. Verbs and prepositions/ prepositional phrases are used most frequently, for example: ‘‘requires’’, ‘‘to work with’’, ‘‘will lead to’’, ‘‘involves’’, ‘‘during’’, ‘‘of’’, ‘‘through’’, and so on. The aim is to show the relationship between the key concepts and their subordinate or super-ordinate elements.

6- Add examples to the terminal points of a map representing the concepts. These are not enclosed in boxes or circles to delineate them as instances of a concept."

Novakian Concept Map 

- attributed to Novak as early as 1972
- this was inspired by the work of learning psychologist Ausubel 
- the mapping technique was further refined by Novak and then extended to the educational context
- these diagrams resulted in what are now known as "Novakian maps"

Syracuse University

- "… allows students to understand the relationships between concepts and hence understand those concepts themselves and the domain to which they belong"
- often confused with mind mapping 
    - concept maps are more structured and typically do not incorporate pictures 
- aim: outline relationships between ideas 
- a relational device 
- widely used in academic disciplines such as accounting, finance, engineering, statistics, reading comprehension, biology, nursing, medicine, and veterinary science

Concept Mapping

Davies, M. (2011). Concept mapping, mind mapping and argument mapping: what are the differences and do they matter?. Higher education, 62(3), 279-301.

Concept mapping, mind mapping and argument mapping: what are the differences and do they matter?

- hierarchical "tree"structure with super-ordinate and subordinate parts 
- normally begins with a word, concept, or phrase representing a focus question 
- cross-links: use connecting terms that are typically prepositional phrases (ex: leads to, results from") and are used to show relationships between concepts 
- can be a variety of forms from hierarchical, non-hierarchical, and data-driven 

Constructing a Concept Map 

The Development of Concept Mapping

- potential to assist academics in course design, manage qualitative data, and use as an assessment tool 
- "…enables relational links between relevant concepts"
- "…enable the elements of learning to relate to how cognitive knowledge is developed structurally by the learner"

Advantages of Concept Maps

- complex to create and can cause learners designing concept maps to feel overwhelmed 
- learning to create concept maps is difficult due to the rigid rules and multiple relationships 
- cannot adequately capture complex relationships between concepts due to their linear nature
- "… impossible to distinguish identification of concepts from identification of arguments using a concept map"
- limited to relations between concepts
   - "many issues require more than an identification of relationships between concepts; they require arguments to be made for positions that need to be defended, and objections to those positions"

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