Cognitive Texts

Cognitive texts (also "cognitive textbooks") are our own idea, but the name is derived from the term "cognitive mapping" which refers to the ways we make our own, often biased but highly practical models of space. Researchers in cognitive science have done studies asking people to draw maps of their houses, neighborhoods, even their freehand versions of the geography of the earth, all done freehand, and without advance planning or the use of reference materials.

We think similar techniques could be used to study our representations of information in general as well as space, with benefit not only to researchers, but more importantly, to you the reader. Think about how many books and how much information the average person takes in, all from experts who "know" this and that. How often do we stop to ask how much we the readers really know and really use? Most people would never think to write a book because they don´t feel like they are experts on anything. But everyone is an expert on at least one subject which should interest them greatly: what kind of knowledge is in their head, and how it is organized.

Keep in mind that cognitive texts are usually not written out fully, and never begin as writing. Once you´ve decided to record what you know about a subject (and it can and should be "personal" as well as academic subjects) you can make mental lists, outline it, rearrange it, find gaps in your knowledge, etc., by keeping up a dialogue with yourself.

When you´ve thought of enough there´s a chance you won´t remember it all you can start writing down, but not in sentences and paragraphs, or even points in an outline. Just write down enough that you can remember what you were thinking when you wrote it when you look at it again later. With practice you will develop your own personal shorthand, which need make sense only to you. The nice thing about these type of notes rather than an outline, is that they can be arranged spatially on a page in a sort of "map" or diagrammed formation, which makes it easier to take in all your ideas at once, and to show connections between ideas which are more complex than "a to b".

After coming back to your shorthand notes and looking at them objectively, you are ready to make an informal outline which can serve as your "final draft." You should feel free to use pictures and diagrams, to write as little or as much as you need to remember, and to add or skip steps in the idea to notes to outline process depending on your personal needs and style of learning.

One optional last step is to turn your cognitive text into a more traditional text, built with complete sentences arranged in paragraphs and sections, in order to show it to someone else and possibly use it as a teaching tool. Here are some ways cognitive texts can be helpful.

• for self-understanding and getting to know other people (by viewing their texts)
  
• for learning, by finding your interests and weak points and gaps in what you know. You can write a mini-text on what you´d like to learn in a few months time, then go back and fill in your gaps in your original text as you learn
  
• for studying, by comparing what you are able to recall (are able to say to yourself or write down) with what you will need for a exam.
  
• for teaching and creating lesson plans.
  

• write a text about something you know a lot about, and something about which you don´t know much but would like to learn.
  
• write the authoritative text on yourself, your influences and your dreams.
  
• write a text about your favorite books.