The Feynman Technique

The Feynman Technique is a memorization method that helps to declutter your mind and affirm your understanding of a subject. First, write down everything you know about the topic on a piece of paper and try and break it down into its essential components. Once you have a grasp of the subject, find a friend or family member and teach them everything you know. Have your audience ask you to clarify certain points or ask probing questions. After this interaction you will most likely notice some holes in your knowledge base, so go back and study what you missed. Once you have a firm understanding of the topic, cut away all the excess information and bring it back to basics. Pretend you are teaching the information to a child. Keep repeating this step until you can confidently teach the information back to someone.

The Feynman Technique challenges your understanding of a topic and forces you to form a cohesive grasp of all fronts of the subject. Furthermore, removing the excess details and difficult words requires a deeper understanding of the topic that goes beyond simple memorization. Overall, the Feynman Technique is an effective study method that forces learners to dig a deep well of information that is certain to stick in their minds for a while.