"Mapping" is a note-taking technique by which students use visual cues to isolate, emphasize, and group information meaningfully. Features of this technique include: organizing the note page laterally, so that general topics are on the left side and supportive information is on the right side; separating topics by horizontal lines; circling or boxing the divisions within topics; and using other visual cues that help to describe processes, functions, and compared or contrasted ideas. Mapping is an especially useful technique for dealing with complex written information, while mathematics and other problem courses benefit from simple mapping applications. (Illustrations of the mapping technique are provided, showing how it can be used to outline information from lectures and books and to prepare material for formal essays.) (RL)