# Build a mental models map of this topic — Gemini Notebook prompt

> Convert dense sources into the first principles, models, and analogies that let you reason about the topic from scratch.


_Markdown version of https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/mental-models-map — for AI and LLM crawlers. Content is identical to the web page._

---
- Category: Study & exam prep
- Goes in: Chat message

Shared by [Sourclip](https://www.sourclip.com/resources/prompts/mental-models-map)

## The prompt

```
Build a mental models map of this topic using only the sources in this notebook.

Produce:
1. First principles — the 4–6 most fundamental truths the entire topic rests on. State each in plain language and cite the source.
2. Core mental models — 5 models or frameworks the sources use, named or unnamed. For each: a one-line definition, what it lets you predict, and an example pulled from the notebook.
3. Analogies — 3 strong analogies (drawn from the sources or constructed from them) that make the topic feel intuitive to someone new. For each, note where the analogy breaks down.
4. Cause-and-effect chains — 2–3 "if X, then Y, then Z" sequences the sources support, with the relevant citation at each link.
5. A diagram-in-words — a flat-text outline showing how the models, principles, and chains connect.

The goal: someone reading only this output should be able to reason about the topic without re-reading the sources.
```

## How to use it

1. Open your notebook at notebooklm.google.com.
2. Replace the [bracketed] parts with your specifics.
3. Paste the prompt into the chat box and send it.

Square brackets mark the parts you replace with your own topic or question.

## More study & exam prep prompts

- [15 flashcards with page numbers](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/fifteen-flashcards.md)
- [10 exam-difficulty multiple choice](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/ten-mcq.md)
- [The newcomer FAQ](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/newcomer-faq.md)
- [The three things to understand first](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/three-things-first.md)
- [Explain it to a non-specialist](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/non-specialist-explanation.md)
- [The per-chapter reading questions](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/per-chapter-questions.md)
- [The end-of-book big picture](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/book-big-picture.md)
- [30-minute study guide](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/study-guide-30min.md)
- [Build an FAQ from the sources](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/faq-builder.md)
- [Explain this topic at four levels](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/layered-feynman-explanation.md)
- [Explain this topic through a completely different field](https://gemini-notebook-hub.online/prompts/study/cross-disciplinary-analogy.md)