Literature Search
5 Best Graphic Organizer Examples
Explore 5 top graphic organizer examples to simplify ideas and boost productivity.
Sep 4, 2024
Researching a topic for a paper or project can feel overwhelming. There are many paths to take, and without a plan, finding relevant information can feel like a game of chance. Graphic organizers, such as concept maps and flowcharts, can help you visually structure your thoughts and ideas before you start your literature search.
This guide will examine several graphic organizer examples and highlight their specific benefits for research and writing. This will enable you to create focused study materials to help you write efficient research papers and organize them quickly.
Otio’s AI research and writing partner can further ease this process by generating custom graphic organizers based on your unique project needs. This way, you can get organized quickly and focus on what really matters—writing your paper.
Table Of Contents
What Is A Simple Graphic Organizer?
A research graphic organizer is a visual tool for organizing and structuring information related to a research project. It helps researchers visualize the relationships between concepts, ideas, and evidence.
Types of Graphic Organizers for Research
There are many different types of research graphic organizers, but some common ones include:
Concept Maps
These are diagrams that show the relationships between different concepts or ideas. They are often used to brainstorm and organize information during the research process.
Venn Diagrams
These are diagrams that compare and contrast two or more sets of information. They are often used to analyze similarities and differences between different concepts.
Flowcharts
These are diagrams that show the sequence of steps in a process. They are often used to visualize research methods or experimental procedures.
Timeline Charts
These are diagrams that show the progression of events over time. They are often used to organize historical data or track the development of a research project.
Research graphic organizers can be created using pen and paper or with specialized software tools. They can be valuable tools for researchers at all stages of the research process, from planning and organizing to analyzing and presenting findings.
How To Make A Graphics Organizer
Step 1: Pulling Up Google Sheets to Start Your Graphic Organizer
To begin creating your graphic organizer, first open Google Sheets. From the homepage, click on the + New/Blank button in the upper left corner of the page.
Step 2: Creating Columns for Your Graphic Organizer
Next, consider the categories you want to include in your graphic organizer. Start by typing these categories in your blank spreadsheet's first row (or column). These categories will help you sort and organize your research notes.
Step 3: Formatting Your Graphic Organizer
Use the formatting tools in Google Sheets to customize the appearance of your graphic organizer. You can change the font, font size, color, and background color of your text to make it more visually appealing. Play around with the format until you find a style that works for you.
Step 4: Adding Research Notes to Your Graphic Organizer
Finally, enter your research notes under each category in the corresponding column. You can add text, numbers, and even images to your sheet. Continue to add notes as your research progresses, adding new categories or columns as needed.
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What Are The 5 Types of Graphic Organizers?
1. Circle Maps: Great for Brainstorming Ideas
Circle maps help visualize information. They have one inner circle surrounded by an outer circle. The inner circle contains the main idea, while the outer circle holds all the details. You write the main idea in the inner circle when using a circle map. Then, you fill the outer circle with details that relate to, define, and elaborate on the main topic.
As you fill the circle map, connections and relationships emerge organically. Circle maps are great for brainstorming the very beginning of an idea. You can use it on a whiteboard for a group brainstorming session. With the help of a circle map, great ideas can begin to take shape and eventually become complete and complex plans.
2. Spider Maps: Define and Detail Topics
Spider maps are another type of graphic organizer that helps you visually define a topic. In this instance, the center circle stems from other surrounding circles, creating a visual image of a spider. Each connected leg and circle will include a defining adjective or phrase.
The difference between a circle map and a spider map is that the circle map is more suited for a brainstorming stage, while the spider map is better for defining a topic in detail. In schools, the spider map regularly appears in science classrooms. Students learn to define new lessons visually by defining the main topic with a spider map.
3. Idea Wheels: Organize Information in a Fun Way
The idea wheel is a mixture of the circle map and the spider map. This graphic organizer works for brainstorming and organizing ideas simultaneously. The center of the chart holds the main topic being studied, and around it, there can be other circles or shapes, a sectioned larger circle, or connected bubbles.
The purpose of an idea wheel is to organize information hierarchically or as a sequence. Thoughts are added around the main idea in specific sections and then explained inside the same circle or with a stemming shape. Idea wheels are good for freestyle brainstorming and organizing information about a topic. They help with taking notes while doing research or getting an idea of the bigger picture.
4. Idea Webs: Visual Comparison Organizers
The ideal web graphic organizer combines two spider maps. It's a comparison organizer that defines differences and similarities between topics. In an idea web, the two central circles contain the main ideas. Stemming out from both are circles of two types. The shared similarities are in the two first-stemmed circles.
Towards the sides are the circles that define the differences. This type of organizer is perfect for situations in which concepts or ideas need a visual comparison. School students use idea webs for courses like Language Arts. They compare characters, situations, and parts of the story, making it all easier to grasp.
5. Concept Maps: Analyze Topics Thoroughly
The concept map is very similar to an idea web. This type of graphic organizer can analyze one single topic instead of two or more topics at once. A concept map and an idea web look very similar, with circles stemming out from the center.
The difference is that an idea web is for comparing, while a concept map is for brainstorming and organizing. Concept maps sometimes branch out in so many directions that they end up looking really complicated. These types of graphic organizers are good for many stages of content production, from the messy brainstorming stage to the more structured hierarchical organization.
5 Best Graphic Organizer Examples
Graphic organizers help researchers, teachers, and students visually represent information and ideas. They can be handy for organizing research and writing projects. Here are some excellent graphic organizer examples to consider as you prepare your following academic paper.
1. Otio: The Ultimate Research Graphic Organizer
Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today need help with content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Too many settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with the click of a button, this problem will only get worse. Otio solves this problem by providing researchers with one AI-native workspace. It helps them:
1. Collect
A wide range of data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos.
2. Extract key takeaways
With detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat.
3. Create
Draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you to go from the reading list to the first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also enables you to write research papers/essays faster.
Here are our top features that researchers love: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enabling you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT and AI-assisted writing.
Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!
2. EdrawMax Online Graphic Organizer Maker
EdrawMax Online is a cloud-based software that allows users to create various diagrams, charts, drawings, and graphic organizers. By signing up, you can access a canvas where you can draw any organizer of your choice by dragging and dropping various shapes and symbols from the included library.
You can also use EdrawMax Online to develop graphic organizers for research papers. You can choose to create one from scratch or just use a template, albeit the latter option relies on the presence of a template in the template gallery.
3. Free HMH Templates to Download
Help your students classify ideas and communicate more effectively with these free graphic organizer templates, available for download at HMH. They can be used to structure writing projects and help in problem-solving, decision-making, studying, planning research, and brainstorming.
4. Teachers Pay Teachers Graphic Organizer Templates
TPT has over 2000 graphic organizer templates in all areas, including animal research, career research, etc. These fillable templates are easy to use and can help students and researchers organize information in one place.
5. Canva Graphic Organizer Templates
Learn concepts, brainstorm ideas, and gain insights using editable graphic organizer templates you can customize for any topic or purpose on Canva.
Purpose of Research Paper Graphic Organizer
Graphic organizers help students organize and clarify complex information to better understand the material. These visual aids allow learners to break down information into smaller parts and see how the pieces fit together. As students work through the graphic organizer, they can construct knowledge and make meaning of what they are learning.
The Benefits of Graphic Organizers for Learning
Graphic organizers provide a structured way for students to categorize information, which can reduce anxiety and help them approach complex tasks and challenging texts. For example, if students are given a significant reading assignment, using a graphic organizer to outline the information can help them break the task into manageable parts.
Graphic organizers also introduce a more refined lens for analysis, enabling students to recognize patterns, compare perspectives, and surface key insights. As teacher-generated tools, graphic organizers also offer valuable support for differentiated instruction.
The Problem with Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers can have the unintended consequence of limiting students’ thinking to just filling in the boxes. They may allow students to avoid the messy but essential work of surfacing key insights or conceptual understanding. Careful design, creation, and use of graphic organizers can provide necessary intellectual guardrails to guide students toward more profound understanding and learning.
Design Graphic Organizers with Learning Goals in Mind
Well-designed graphic organizers should help students categorize key concepts, surface the interconnection of ideas, or construct knowledge. For example, suppose your desired learning objective is to have students explain the paradox that both an overly weak and a powerful government can threaten individual liberty. In that case, the graphic organizer must be constructed to generate that level of thinking.
The organizer should ensure that students move beyond the traditional listing of the Articles of Confederation's weaknesses. Instead, the design should lead students to thoughtfully analyze how liberty was impacted under the British monarchy and the Articles of Confederation.
Assessing Student Learning
Graphic organizers can support assessment by providing a visual representation of student thinking. Teachers can evaluate graphic organizers to determine how well students understand the material, what misconceptions they may have, and what next steps are needed to improve academic performance.
For example, instead of giving a student a traditional reading test, consider using a graphic organizer to assess their knowledge of the text. The visual structure can reveal their organization and highlight problematic areas.
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What is a 4 W's Graphic Organizer?
1. Who’s Who? Discovering Characters and Their Relationships
In every story, some people or characters drive the plot. When using a 4 W’s graphic organizer, one of the first questions students should ask is, “Who?” This question can lead to identifying the main character but also prompts students to examine other significant characters in the story and their relationships.
For example, asking questions such as “Who is the protagonist of this story?” or “Who are the supporting characters?” can help students uncover essential details about the plot and foster a deeper understanding of the literature.
2. What’s Going On? Summarizing the Plot
Another essential question to ask when reading closely is, “What?” This question can help students summarize a story or determine crucial elements, such as the plot, setting, or main idea. For example, a student might ask, “What is the main conflict in this story?” or “What events led to the resolution?” Answering these questions can uncover significant details that will enhance a student’s comprehension of literature.
3. Where and When? Identifying Setting and Period
Asking questions about “where” and “when” can help students identify important details about a story’s setting. 4 W’s graphic organizers can help learners determine the time and place in which the story occurs, both critical to understanding the literature. For example, a student might ask, “Where does this story take place?” and “When did this event happen?” “What clues in the text can help me answer these questions?” These inquiries will help students uncover vital information about the story's background that can enhance their comprehension.
4. Why? Digging Deeper for Meaning
Questions addressing “why” can help students uncover a story's deeper meaning or themes. Inquiring about the “why” of a plot can lead to rich discussions about human behavior and motives. For example, a student might ask, “Why did the character make this choice?” or “Why did this event occur?” Answering these questions can reveal valuable insights about the literature that can foster a deeper understanding of the text.
Supercharge Your Researching Ability With Otio — Try Otio for Free Today
1. Otio: The Solution to Research Content Overload
Otio is an AI-native workspace designed to help researchers and knowledge workers with content overload. Otio assists with collecting data from a wide range of sources. It also extracts critical takeaways from that information and helps you create draft outputs. Using Otio, you can go from the reading list to the first draft faster.
2. Collect: Gather Information from a Wide Range of Sources
Research today can involve many different sources. That means you’ll need to collect information from different areas. Otio makes this easier by allowing you to gather data from various sources. These include social media posts like tweets, traditional articles and journals, YouTube videos, and extensive books. You can even import PDFs. Storing all this information in one place helps researchers streamline their workflows and minimize the stress of research content overload.
3. Extract: Get AI-Generated Notes from All Your Sources
Otio doesn’t just help you collect data; it also enables you to make sense of it. The platform creates detailed AI-generated notes to summarize your findings. You can even chat with individual bookmarks and sources to extract critical information. This allows you to sift through your research faster to identify the most relevant information for your project.
4. Create: Write Research Papers Faster with AI Assistance
Once you’ve collected your information and extracted key notes, you can use Otio to help you write your paper. The platform has features that help you organize your information and structure drafts. You can create a first draft in a fraction of the time it would typically take.
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