Simplify to learn anything effectively - summaries and Feynman's Technique

Our brains are not wired to understand or remember complex or abstract information. Natural selection has ensured that concrete and survival-relevant information is prioritized in the brain. In the days of our ancestors, jungle predators could not be escaped by solving equations, nor could group status be elevated by reciting legal principles.

As a result, we remember condensed and concrete information far better than most of the material we absorb in our studies from the first grade on. The most effective learning techniques take this into account by converting information into summaries or a form that is easier for our brains to process. This is why memory techniques, for example, are often based on very clear mental imagery.

In this blog post, we’ll look at how to create summaries and how to simplify. The latter is known as Feynman’s technique, and the origin of the name will become clear in a moment.

Condensed information is easier to learn

The ability to summarize and explain what you have learned is an extremely useful skill, not only for learning, but for understanding things in general. Your brain is working on new things as a whole anyway, but focusing your attention on that work speeds up the process and makes the neural networks that have formed all the stronger.

Explaining what you learn, especially complex things, as simply as possible is often called the Feynman technique, after quantum physicist Richard Feynman. Feynman became known not only for his vast knowledge, but also for his ability to explain even the most complex things in a simple and vivid way, such as with pictures and diagrams. Feynman’s main idea was that even the uninformed listener would understand it.

Explaining something in a simple and easy-to-understand way requires a deep understanding of the subject. For example, the very best scientific articles are usually written in a very simple and straightforward way, and even a lay reader can quickly get the gist of what is going on. Weaker presentations, on the other hand, are easily hidden behind scientific jargon when the topic may not be clear even to the authors themselves.

Whatever the implementation of the summary or simplification, pay attention to:

• Use as simple language as possible
• Try to be concrete, avoid abstract and vague explanations
• First and foremost, try to answer the question why. Why is something the way it is? Justify your claim
• Explain the subject as you would to a child
• If you can’t explain a point properly, revise it and try again
• Use social situations to your advantage. For example, at dinner you can quickly explain to others what you have learned and worked on today. If you are eating with other learners, switch roles so that everyone has a chance to share

As you summarize, you may feel a little anxious about whether you have included all the important points or whether you have left something out. For example, one-minute notes inevitably leave things out. But remember that the idea of summaries and simplifications is to cut out, not to add. They help your brain learn by helping to form new neural networks around details.

If you have studied the subject well enough, these neural networks and efficient communication from long-term memory to working memory will ensure that you remember the smaller topics around the summaries.

Examples of the technique

Writing a summary

Study the appropriate portion of your material. Usually a chapter or a lecture is a good basis for a summary. Try to summarize what you have read without the material in a short text, the length of which can vary according to the length of the base material. Remember that a summary is a summary, so don’t rewrite the same thing, but try to find the main points. However, write complete sentences.

Write in clear language and try to give some concrete examples. After the summary, go back to the material and see if you missed anything important. For example, you can add the missing information with bullet-points after the summary. Summaries are best for studying large chunks of theoretical information.

Drafting an answer

Study the appropriate section of your material. Create or use ready-made questions that summarize the topic as comprehensively as possible. Questions should preferably be open-ended and essay-style. Then plan your answer structure on paper by writing down in bullet points what you are going to say.

Of course, you can also write or explain the whole answer out loud, but this can be unduly burdensome in the hectic pace of everyday study. Answer outlines are best for outlining and summarizing big-picture questions and practicing applying knowledge.

One-minute notes

You can only do so much in a minute, but that’s what makes one-minute notes so effective. The idea is that after a lecture, for example, you set a timer and try to summarize what you’ve learned as succinctly as possible in one minute. You probably won’t have time to write more than a sentence or two, but that’s the beauty of it.

The technique takes virtually no time at all, so you can use it whenever you are learning something new, as long as you have the tools at your fingertips. Once you get into a routine with this technique, your overall learning will take off.

Teaching someone else

Study an appropriate section of your material and then choose a victim, such as a friend or family member. Explain what you have learned to them, assuming they know nothing about the subject. Encourage the listener to ask clarifying questions and make comments.

Go back to your material if you find any part of the explanation difficult. Don’t forget to reciprocate by offering listening assistance to your study buddies!

Spoken notes

This technique is only successful if you can speak quietly, but is otherwise effective and time-saving if you have a busy schedule. After learning a song, open a note-taking app on your phone to take voice notes (such as Notion or Evernote, both of which are free in their basic versions).

Summarize what you learned in your own words. You should also record your audio notes for future reference and supplementation. The recording encourages you to really explain the topic, not just say “I can do that” (knowledge illusion).

You can learn more about summarizing and simplifying in our lessons on the subject.