Rank the concepts by placing the broadest and most inclusive idea at the top of the map. It is sometimes difficult to identify the broadest, most inclusive concept. It is helpful to be aware of the context of the concepts we are dealing with or to have some idea of the situation for which these concepts are arranged.
Work down the paper and add more specific concepts. Try not to have more than three concepts linked under any other concept.
Connect the concept labels by lines. Label the lines with one or a few linking words. The linking words (connection) should define the relationship between the two concepts so that it reads as a true statement, or proposition. The connection creates meaning between the concepts. When you can hold together a large number of related ideas, you can see the structure of meaning for a given subject area.
Look for "crosslink connections" between concepts in different sections of the map and label these lines.
Specific examples of concepts can be attached to the concept labels (e.g., golden retriever is a specific example of a dog breed).
Concept maps could be made in many different forms for the same set of concepts. There is no one way to draw a concept map. As your understanding of relationships between concepts changes, so will your maps.