The Feynman Technique
Last Updated: August 29, 2024

While I still have some studying to do regarding this technique, including actual application of it, I understand this to have been utilized by Richard Feynman for learning important or advanced topics. The technique is as follows (though correct me if I'm wrong):
  1. Study the Topic
    2. During the process of studying your material, take notes on the topic. Ideally, you should use multiple sources for the same information, should another source have greater detail or prompt other questions you may not have asked.
  2. Teach What You Learn
    3. Taking everything you've learned, try and teach the topic by writing an article or conversing to an inanimate object (or even yourself) while recording it. This is most effectively done by picking a subtopic of the greater topic, and try to elaborate and explain to your fake student in a way that they can simply understand.
  3. Grade Yourself from Step 2 and Spot any Knowledge Gaps
    4. Reread what you wrote in Step 2, or play back your recording of you teaching, and determine how well you explained the topic. Identify any missing pieces of information in what you taught, and write down prompts or questions for Step 4.
  4. Return to Your Study Material to Further Refine Your Understanding
    5. Go through your study material again, and using any prompts or questions from Step 3, identify your weak points in the material and study again.
  5. Simplify
    6. If you do not feel confident in your understanding, repeat the Steps 1 through 4. Should you feel confident, then you want to take the knowledge you learned and Simplify it. Make it digestible for any audience, while also retaining a solid understanding of the topic.