The Feynman Technique

Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was recognized as someone who could clearly explain complex topics in a way that everybody—even those without degrees in the sciences—could understand.

While studying at Princeton, Feynman began recording and connecting t...

1. Choose the idea or concept to learn about. Write the concept as a heading on a blank piece of paper or notebook page, then write down everything you already know.
2. Imagine that you have to teach the concept to a new student. In your own words, expl...

1. Teach it to a child. Write down what you know about the subject in plain language. This forces you to understand the concept at a deeper level and simplify relationships and connections between ideas.
2. Review the gaps in your knowledge that you uncovered in step 1. Ident...