The Feynman Technique: A Simple Technique For Fast Learning

At some point, you may have felt that you did not get anywhere in a particular subject or subject. Or maybe you’ve been wondering why you learned so slowly. Maybe you have even become desperate after not being able to remember the meaning of a concept after trying up to several times. Well, keeping information in your mind is not always the easiest thing to do. But we are here to help with that; Today we are going to show you the  Feynman technique. It is a simple, effective strategy for acquiring knowledge  faster and deeper. Keep reading to find out what this technique entails.

Who was Richard Feynman?

Richard Feynman was an American theoretical physicist. He is known for his work with integral formulation of paths in quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, superfluid physics of subcooled helium and the Parton model for particle physics.

Feynman, along with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his contribution to quantum electrodynamics. In addition to this, according to a survey conducted in 1999 by the British magazine Physics World, out of the 130 greatest physicists in the world, they placed Feynman among the ten best of the greatest physicists of all time.

What exactly is the Feynman technique?

Cinematographer James Gleick explained the Feynman technique in his book, Genius: The Life Science of Richard Feynman . By using this technique, anyone can gather knowledge effectively if they really try. In fact, it is also a great study tool you can use to prepare for exams.

James Gleick tells the story of how Feynman opened an empty notebook and wrote “NOTEBOOK FOR THINGS I DON’T KNOW ABOUT” on the title page. He wanted to reorganize his knowledge.

The physicist always tried to get to the bottom of everything he studied. What he wanted to do with that notebook was to write down explanations for the concepts he developed in his research.

The nice thing about this is that you can also do it with a friend. What you would do is tell and explain to them what you have learned so that you can memorize it and understand it better while explaining it to your friend.

But, unfortunately, we do not have all the friends who are so patient and willing to help. That’s why  Feynman developed a slightly different but equally effective technique: learning by explaining.

The basic idea is to actively read the material and then try to explain it simply, as if you were talking to a child or someone who knows much less than you about the particular topic.

This is why this learning method is seen as active, because you explain what you are studying. Doing so means using different languages ​​and strategies. As a result, you notice the mistakes you make and thus learn more effectively.

The 4 steps in the Feynman technique

The Feynman technique for learning is composed of four simple steps. So let’s take a look at what the different steps are.

The first step

To begin with , you need to obtain a sheet and then write the name of the concept you are studying at the top. For example, if you are studying Pythagoras’ teaching, use this technique to write it at the top of the paper.

The second step

Once you have written down the concept, describe it in your own words. You must also use simple language, as if you were describing it to someone else.

If we continue with the example of Pythagoras’ doctrine, you must write something like “in a correct triangle, the square root of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square roots of the other two sides.”

The third step

What you do in the third step is to look over everything you have written down so far. The point of this is to identify which parts are not explained perfectly, which parts are confusing or which are not well written. To do so, you can go back to your notes or even look for new information. It is also useful to use examples to strengthen your knowledge.

The fourth step

The fourth step is where you look at what you have written one last time. So if you have used language that is too complicated, rewrite it in a simpler way that is easier to understand. Sometimes one can use metaphors or analogies. The most important thing is to make sure that anyone can understand your ideas.

If you have gone through these four simple steps and your explanation is still not easy to understand, you may not have fully understood what you were studying. If so, you should start this process from the beginning again.