Flexible Concept Mapping

3rd CMC Tallinn - Helsinki 22-25 Sept. 2008Alfredo Tifi

Antonietta LombardiTxomin Villarroel

 presenter: Alfredo Tifi

"If a C-map is the result of a mediation process, it is always a good one"

Which are the (unnecessary) criteria to flexibilize?

• Propositions must be ternary• Concept labels shouldn't have more than two or three words • a concept cannot be repeated in a concept map• Single word linking phrases are preferred• Pronouns and nouns should not be part of linking phrases• Concepts are forbidden in linking phrases• Conjunctions, prepositions and questions are not valid as

linking words...

Combining elemental propositions

=

Extending propositions

<

Two chained, but independent propositions

Single extended propositionMore meaningful

Generalized definition of Proposition

“Propositions contain two or more concepts connected using linking words or phrases to form a meaningful statement” (Novak & Canas 2008)

Flexibilize propositions to elicit key relationships

Constructing concepts (and relations)I

Concepts are pre-existing" in the content and can be "picked out" to be put in the Cmap, respecting a rank order.

Linking words have a secondary role, to make propositions sintactically correct.

Main relations can be dispersed or fragmented in a "atomized" structure.

IIStatements are picked out from the content as chains (extended propositions) reflecting ideas or claims in textual form.

Branching is made possible by renouncing to a perfect network structure. However this permits the key relations to stand out someway.

IIIRestructuring of concepts is made by grouping of terms, generalizating, nominalizating and quantificating them, trying to make evident the few essential relations in the content domain.

Glossary (temporary)

Node: as in a fishing net, it is a confluence point among three or more connections in the structure. In C-maps, as we know them, both linking phrases and concepts may occupy nodal positions.Linking Phrase: one or more words (signs) that specify and complete the relation among two given concepts.Relation: is the meaning of a complete proposition that clarify the influence or dependence existing between two concepts.The meaning of a concept gets complete in the relation with other concepts. As well as the meaning of a linking phrase, needs the two concepts to be completely defined. 

Complex content domains:objective: point out key relations

How did opium became a forbidden drug in China?

Why some poor healer women were charged with the guilt for the disease ergotism in Middle Age?

Complex content domains:objective: point out key relations

The reading paths in red are not meaningful

Not all nouns are concepts (concepts need to be constructed)

Flexibilize linking phrases with concepts: why not?

Propositions in a SOV (Subject Object Verb) language: the Basque

The Basque is an agglutinative language

There is one and only one solution: they can make C-maps in any language they want, but not in the Basque one.

Propositions in a SOV (Subject Object Verb) agglutinative language:the Basque

The 'transformation' role of Concept mapping

Natural text-content and/or thinking perceived asfragmented and unranked

Dynamic and flexible

concept mapping

(at different levels)

Evolved cognition, useful to perform in natural language:• Recognition of key

concepts• Ranking of concepts• Narrative sequences• Ordered descriptions and

classifications• Recognition of relations• Answer to focus questions• Generalization to new

highly inclusive concepts• Synthesis as creative

abstraction of a few and relevant key relations