Are you struggling with a study subject that seems too difficult to understand? Don’t panic – any topic, no matter how complicated, can always be broken down into simpler parts.
Such is the rationale behind the Feynman technique, one of the world’s most popular study methods. It can be basically summarised as: “Do you understand a topic so well that you could explain it to a child?”
Richard Feynman (1918-1988) was an American theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner. He is known for his theory of quantum electrodynamics and assisting in the development of the atom bomb during World War II.
A graduate of Princeton University, he has also been credited as a pioneer in the field of quantum computing and for introducing the concept of nanotechnology.
Feynman was also a firm believer in empowering lives through education, and fervently wrote books and delivered lectures on physics. He was greatly against rote learning and pure memorisation, and often stressed that knowing about a thing was not the same as understanding it.
According to author James Gleick, Feynman developed his renowned technique after he tried to teach some children physics using their first-grade science book.
“It began with pictures of a mechanical wind-up dog, a real dog, and a motorcycle, and for each the same question: ‘What makes it move?'” Gleick wrote.
The proposed answer – “energy makes it move” – enraged Feynman. To tell a first-grader that “energy makes it move” would be no more helpful, he said, than saying “God makes it move” or “moveability makes it move”.
Incensed, Feynman would go on to develop a new technique of learning, which can be summarised as follows:
- Identify a concept you have trouble understanding or wish to know more about.
- Imagine you are a teacher who has to explain this concept to an inquisitive 12-year-old. Write out your explanation, using the simplest language possible.
- Identify the gaps in your explanation, if any, and re-examine the source material to fill them. Be like a 12-year old and ask “why?” after every sentence.
- Once the explanation is complete, refine and reduce it to be as simple and easily understood as possible.
The Feynman technique breaks down a subject to its bare essentials, allowing easy memory retention. It forces you to ask more questions and look past convenient, easy explanations.
If you cannot explain a concept in simple words, then you simply do not understand it. Practising this also prevents learners from hiding behind jargon or complicated terms.
The best way to check how effectively you have used this method, of course, is to find a friend who knows as little about the subject as possible – or test it on an actual 12-year old.
If they can gain new knowledge from your simplified explanations, then you have succeeded in your mission. If not, keep going until you make it. All the best in your learning journey!
This article was written by Terence Toh of ReSkills.com, a local online education platform aiming to make education affordable and accessible for all. Its ‘OnLive’ classes for adult learners are conducted by qualified and experienced coaches from all around the region.