What is the Feynman technique?
The Feynman technique is a way of learning by explaining a topic in simple language, as if teaching it to someone new, noticing where your explanation breaks down, and going back to fill those gaps. It is named after the physicist Richard Feynman.
What most advice leaves out
It is easy to believe you understand something because you can repeat its technical terms. The Feynman technique removes that cover: if you cannot explain an idea without jargon, you probably do not understand it yet. The places where you get stuck or fall back on a term you cannot unpack are exactly what to study next.
Step by step
- 1
Pick one concept
Choose a single idea, not a whole chapter.
- 2
Explain it simply
Write or say an explanation in plain words, as if to a friend who has not studied the subject.
- 3
Find where you get stuck
Mark the points where you hesitated, skipped a step or used a term you could not explain.
- 4
Go back to the source
Study just those points until you can explain them simply too.
- 5
Simplify again
Rewrite the explanation more clearly, with an example or analogy, then test it on someone or something that will ask questions.
Common mistakes
- Explaining with the same jargon from the textbook.
- Skipping the step of finding gaps and only producing a neat explanation.
- Trying to apply it to an entire module at once.
Practise it with Migo AI Students
Chat Tutor can explain a concept as if you are new to it and then ask you to explain it back, checking your answer. Viva Simulator takes it further by questioning your explanation the way an examiner would and listing the points you missed. Both are free.
Questions
Does the Feynman technique work for every subject?
It works best for concepts and processes you need to understand. For pure memorisation, such as vocabulary, flashcards and spaced repetition are more efficient.
Do I need another person to use it?
No. Explaining aloud or in writing to an imaginary beginner works. Someone asking questions makes it stronger.
Related guides
- What is active recall?Active recall is studying by retrieving information from memory, for example by answering questions with your notes closed, rather than by reading the information again. Each act of retrieval strengthens the memory and shows you what you have not learned yet.
- Common viva questions and how to answer themMost vivas return to the same handful of question types: summarise your work, justify your choices, explain a key concept, deal with a limitation, and say what you would do next. Preparing a clear way to answer each type works better than memorising answers to specific questions.
- How to study from lecture slidesTreat lecture slides as headlines: for each slide, make sure you can explain what it means in your own words, fill in what the lecturer said around it, and test yourself on it. Reading slides alone rarely gives the full explanation.
General study advice. Follow your own course’s guidance and your institution’s rules on assessment and AI use.