The Feynman Technique for Students: How to Understand Difficult Topics
- Revision Notes
- Aug 2
- 17 min read
Updated: Aug 20
The Feynman technique is a revision method based on explaining a topic in simple, clear language.
Instead of trying to memorise a complicated paragraph from a textbook, you explain the idea as though you were teaching it to someone who has never studied the subject before.
If your explanation becomes confused, vague or dependent on copied terminology, you have probably found a gap in your understanding.
You can then return to your revision notes, correct the gap and try the explanation again.
The technique is particularly useful for GCSE and A-Level topics that involve:
Scientific processes
Psychological or sociological theories
Historical causes and consequences
Economic concepts
Political systems
Legal principles
Essay arguments
Mathematical methods
However, explaining something simply does not mean removing all the important subject terminology. Once you understand the idea, you should add the accurate terms required by your course and mark scheme.
This guide explains how to use the Feynman technique, how to identify gaps and how to turn a simple explanation into an exam-ready answer.
What Is the Feynman Technique?
The Feynman technique is a learning method that asks you to explain a topic in your own words.
The basic process is:
Choose a topic.
Explain it in simple language.
Identify anything you cannot explain clearly.
Return to your revision materials.
Correct the gaps.
Explain the topic again.
Add the required subject terminology.
Apply the knowledge in an exam question.
The method is often associated with physicist Richard Feynman, who was known for explaining complex ideas clearly.
For students, the value of the technique is simple:
If you cannot explain an idea clearly, you may not understand it securely yet.
The Feynman technique is one of the approaches introduced in The Best Revision Techniques for GCSEs and A-Levels.
Why Is Explaining a Topic Useful?
Reading an explanation can make it feel as though you understand it.
You may recognise every word and follow the paragraph while it is in front of you.
However, this does not always mean you could explain the idea independently.
When you attempt your own explanation, you must decide:
What the most important points are
How the stages connect
Why the process happens
Which examples are relevant
Which terminology is essential
How to organise the information
This makes gaps much easier to see.
Understanding vs Memorising
Memorising can help you recall:
Definitions
Formulae
Quotations
Dates
Key terms
However, many exam questions require more than repeating a memorised sentence.
You may need to:
Explain why something happens
Apply an idea to a scenario
Compare two theories
Analyse a cause
Evaluate an explanation
Use knowledge in an unfamiliar context
The Feynman technique helps you build the understanding needed for these tasks.
It can be combined with Retrieval Practice Explained because you should attempt the explanation without constantly looking at your notes.
How to Use the Feynman Technique
Use the following process for one focused topic.
Step 1: Choose a Manageable Topic
Choose a topic small enough to explain in one session.
Good examples include:
How photosynthesis works
Why increasing temperature affects reaction rate
How normative social influence causes conformity
Why inflation may rise
How Parliament scrutinises the government
Why a historical rebellion failed
How a character changes during a play
How judicial precedent works
Avoid choosing an entire subject.
For example:
Explain all of GCSE Chemistry
is too broad.
Instead, choose:
Explain why ionic compounds have high melting points.
A focused topic makes it easier to identify the exact gap.
Step 2: Study the Topic
Use a reliable source to learn or review the material.
This might include:
Your subject revision notes
A textbook
A teacher explanation
A worked example
A labelled diagram
Your course specification
A model answer
At this stage, aim to understand the main idea.
Do not try to memorise every sentence exactly as written.
Step 3: Close Your Notes
Put the source out of sight.
Explain the topic without relying on the wording in front of you.
You can:
Speak aloud
Write the explanation
Record yourself
Teach another person
Use a whiteboard
Create a short voice note
Explain it to an imaginary student
Writing the explanation makes it easier to check later, while speaking may help the explanation feel more natural.
Step 4: Explain It in Simple Language
Imagine you are explaining the idea to someone younger or someone who has not studied the subject.
Use clear sentences.
Avoid copying phrases you do not fully understand.
For example, instead of repeating:
The concentration gradient facilitates net movement across a partially permeable membrane.
you might begin with:
Particles move from an area where there are more of them to an area where there are fewer of them.
This gives you the basic meaning.
You can then add the exact terminology needed for diffusion, osmosis or active transport.
Step 5: Find the Gaps
Notice where your explanation becomes:
Vague
Repetitive
Confused
Incomplete
Dependent on jargon
Contradictory
Difficult to connect
Unsupported by an example
These are the parts you need to revisit.
You may discover that you know what happens but not why it happens.
You might know the name of a theory but not how it explains behaviour.
You may remember several facts but be unable to connect them into an argument.
Write down the exact question you cannot answer.
For example:
Why does a greater concentration gradient increase diffusion?
Why does uncertainty make informational social influence more likely?
How does higher interest rates reduce demand?
Why did this policy fail?
How does this quotation support the theme?
Specific questions make the next revision step more useful.
Step 6: Return to the Source
Go back to your revision notes or textbook and find the missing explanation.
Do not reread the whole chapter automatically.
Focus on the gap.
Ask:
What did I misunderstand?
Which stage did I miss?
Which term did I use incorrectly?
Which link did I fail to explain?
What evidence supports this point?
What example would make it clearer?
Once you understand the missing part, close the notes again.
Step 7: Explain the Topic Again
Repeat the explanation from the beginning.
Try to make it:
Clearer
Shorter
More accurate
Better organised
More logically connected
Do not simply copy the corrected wording.
Produce the explanation independently.
This is the retrieval stage of the technique.
Step 8: Add the Required Subject Terminology
Once the idea makes sense in simple language, add the terminology required by the course.
Your final explanation should be understandable and academically precise.
For example:
Simple explanation
People sometimes copy a group because they want to be accepted and do not want others to reject them.
Exam-ready explanation
Normative social influence occurs when a person conforms to gain social approval or avoid rejection by the group.
The first explanation shows understanding.
The second includes the terminology more likely to gain credit in an exam.
You need both.
Removing Unnecessary Jargon
Jargon is specialist language used within a subject.
Some jargon is necessary.
Terms such as:
Osmosis
Opportunity cost
Normative social influence
Parliamentary sovereignty
Dramatic irony
Judicial precedent
have precise meanings and may be required in an exam.
The problem is using specialist words without understanding them.
Signs You Are Hiding Behind Jargon
You may not understand the topic securely if:
You repeat a textbook sentence exactly
You cannot define the terms you use
You cannot give an example
You cannot explain the link between two points
You cannot rephrase the idea
Your explanation sounds complicated but says very little
You use several abstract terms without showing what they mean
The Feynman technique asks you to remove unnecessary complexity first.
Then you add the essential terminology back in.
Do Not Oversimplify the Content
Simple language should make the idea clearer, not less accurate.
For example:
Heat makes particles go faster.
may be a useful starting point, but a GCSE Chemistry answer may need greater precision:
Increasing temperature gives particles more kinetic energy, so they move faster and collide more frequently. A greater proportion of collisions also have enough energy to be successful.
The first version helps you understand the basic idea.
The second is suitable for an exam.
Build Explanations in Layers
A useful approach is to build three versions.
Layer 1: Basic meaning
Explain the main idea in everyday language.
Layer 2: Accurate process
Add the important stages, causes or links.
Layer 3: Exam terminology
Add the precise vocabulary, evidence and detail required by the specification.
For example:
Layer 1
People copy others when they think the group knows better.
Layer 2
This is more likely when the situation is unclear and the person is unsure what the correct response is.
Layer 3
Informational social influence occurs when a person conforms because they believe the group has more accurate knowledge, particularly in ambiguous situations. This can produce internalisation because the person genuinely accepts the group’s view.
Layering prevents students from choosing between understanding and terminology.
The goal is to combine them.
How to Check Your Explanation
After completing your explanation, compare it with an accurate source.
Check:
Are the key facts correct?
Are the stages in the right order?
Have I explained cause and effect?
Is the terminology accurate?
Have I missed a specification point?
Have I included an incorrect example?
Is the explanation detailed enough?
Could I apply it to a question?
Correct any errors clearly.
Then hide the source and explain the topic again later.
Use the Specification as a Final Check
The official specification or course checklist can help you confirm that your explanation includes the required content.
A clear explanation may still be incomplete if it misses a smaller specification point.
Read How to Find Your Weakest Topics for help using specifications and topic checklists accurately.
Add Questions to Your Explanation
After explaining the topic, test the depth of your understanding.
Ask:
Why does this happen?
How does each stage lead to the next?
What would happen if one factor changed?
How is this different from a related idea?
What example demonstrates it?
What evidence supports it?
What is one limitation?
How could it appear in an exam?
This connects the Feynman technique with elaborative questioning.
Using the Feynman Technique for Science Processes
Science processes are well suited to this method because students need to understand sequences and cause-and-effect relationships.
Suitable topics include:
Diffusion
Osmosis
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Homeostasis
The immune response
Electrolysis
Rates of reaction
Energy transfers
Radioactive decay
Example: Explaining Diffusion
First explanation
Particles spread out.
This is not wrong, but it is too vague.
Questions to find the gaps
Where do they move from?
Where do they move to?
Why does the movement happen?
Is energy required?
What affects the rate?
What biological examples can be used?
Improved explanation
Diffusion is the net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. It happens because particles move randomly, creating an overall movement down the concentration gradient.
Exam-ready additions
You could then add:
A steeper concentration gradient increases the rate.
Higher temperature increases particle movement.
A larger surface area increases the rate.
A shorter diffusion distance increases the rate.
The technique helps build the explanation stage by stage.
Example: Explaining Rates of Reaction
A student might begin:
Heating makes the reaction faster.
The Feynman questions could include:
What does heating do to the particles?
Why do faster particles matter?
What makes a collision successful?
Does every collision cause a reaction?
An improved explanation would be:
Increasing temperature gives particles more kinetic energy. They move faster, so collisions happen more frequently. A greater proportion of particles also have enough energy to overcome the activation energy, so there are more successful collisions each second.
The final explanation is clear, connected and uses the required terminology.
Use Diagrams While Explaining Science
You can combine the Feynman technique with Dual Coding: How to Combine Words and Pictures.
Try:
Draw the process from memory.
Explain each part aloud.
Add arrows showing movement or cause.
Label the diagram accurately.
Check it against your notes.
Redraw it later.
A diagram should support the explanation rather than replace it.
Using the Feynman Technique for Scientific Calculations
The method can also help with calculations.
Instead of memorising a procedure, explain:
What the formula measures
What each symbol means
Why the formula is suitable
Which units are required
How to rearrange it
How to check whether the answer is sensible
For example:
Density tells us how much mass is contained in a particular volume. To calculate it, divide mass by volume.
Then complete actual calculation questions.
Understanding the method does not replace practice.
Using the Feynman Technique for Theories
Theories often contain abstract ideas and specialist terminology.
The technique can help students explain:
What the theory claims
How it works
Why it predicts a particular outcome
What evidence supports it
What its limitations are
How it applies to a scenario
Suitable subjects include:
Psychology
Sociology
Economics
Politics
Religious Studies
Law
Business
Example: A-Level Psychology Theory
Topic: Informational social influence
Simple explanation
People sometimes copy others because they think the other people know the right answer.
Find the gaps
When is this most likely?
Does the person only pretend to agree?
How is it different from normative influence?
What evidence supports it?
Improved explanation
Informational social influence occurs when a person conforms because they believe other people have more accurate knowledge. It is particularly likely in ambiguous, difficult or crisis situations. The person may genuinely accept the group’s position, producing internalisation.
The student can then add research evidence and evaluation.
Example: A-Level Sociology Theory
Topic: Functionalism and education
Simple explanation
Functionalists think education helps society work properly.
Find the gaps
How does education do this?
What values are taught?
How are roles allocated?
Which sociologists are relevant?
What criticisms could be made?
Improved explanation
Functionalists argue that education promotes social solidarity by teaching shared values and prepares students for specialised roles in the workplace. Durkheim emphasised the transmission of society’s culture, while Parsons described school as a bridge between the family and wider society.
The explanation can then be developed into analysis and evaluation.
Example: A-Level Economics Theory
Topic: Demand-pull inflation
Simple explanation
Prices rise because too many people want to buy things.
Find the gaps
What causes demand to rise?
What happens when the economy is near full capacity?
How does this affect the general price level?
Which diagram could show the change?
Improved explanation
Demand-pull inflation occurs when aggregate demand rises faster than the economy’s productive capacity. When the economy is close to full employment, firms may struggle to increase output, so the increase in demand places upward pressure on the general price level.
The student should then draw the appropriate diagram and apply the theory to a context.
Using the Feynman Technique for Essay Topics
Essay subjects often require students to understand relationships between arguments rather than memorise isolated paragraphs.
The technique can help you explain:
The main argument
Why the argument is convincing
What evidence supports it
What the counterargument is
Why the evidence may be limited
How the factors connect
What judgement you would reach
Suitable subjects include:
English Literature
History
Psychology
Sociology
Politics
Law
Business
Economics
Religious Studies
Explain the Essay Question First
Before planning the answer, explain what the question is asking.
For example:
Evaluate the view that social support is the most important explanation for resistance to social influence.
A student should be able to explain:
What social support means
What resistance to social influence means
Which alternative explanations could be compared
What “most important” requires
What evidence could support the judgement
If the question itself cannot be explained clearly, the answer may become unfocused.
Explain Each Paragraph Aloud
Before writing, explain the paragraph as though speaking to someone else.
Use this pattern:
What is the main point?
Why does it answer the question?
What evidence supports it?
What does the evidence show?
What is the limitation or counterargument?
How does this affect the judgement?
If you cannot explain why the paragraph matters, it may not be sufficiently analytical.
Example: History Essay Topic
Question:
How important was economic weakness in causing the fall of a government?
A simple explanation might be:
Economic problems made people lose confidence in the government.
The student can then ask:
Which economic problems?
Which groups were affected?
How did this create political pressure?
Were other causes more important?
Was the effect immediate or gradual?
Which evidence supports the argument?
The final paragraph can then include accurate evidence and a clear judgement.
Example: English Literature Essay Topic
Question:
How does the writer present ambition?
A student could explain:
What ambition means in the text
Which characters demonstrate it
How it changes
Which quotations are relevant
Which methods the writer uses
What the consequences are
What wider message may be suggested
This explanation can then become an essay plan.
Use the Technique for Evaluation
Evaluation can become a list of memorised phrases.
Students may write:
The study lacks ecological validity.
The sample was small.
The theory is deterministic.
The Feynman technique requires students to explain why the criticism matters.
For example:
The study lacks ecological validity because the task was artificial. Participants may behave differently in a real situation, so the findings may not accurately predict everyday conformity.
This turns a label into a developed evaluative argument.
Use the Technique for Model Answers
After reading a model answer, close it and explain:
What the main argument was
How the response was structured
Why the evidence was relevant
How evaluation was developed
Why the conclusion was convincing
Do not memorise the whole model answer word for word.
Use it to understand what a strong response does.
How to Explain a Topic Without Another Person
You do not need a revision partner.
You can explain the topic:
To an empty chair
To a pet
To yourself in a mirror
In a voice note
In a written explanation
On a whiteboard
As a mock tutorial
As though recording a revision video
The important part is producing the explanation independently.
Teaching a Friend
Explaining to a friend can be useful when they:
Ask questions
Point out unclear sections
Request examples
Challenge your assumptions
Check the explanation against the notes
However, make sure the session remains focused.
Do not assume an explanation is accurate simply because your friend accepts it.
Check the final version against a reliable source.
Record Yourself Explaining
A short recording can reveal:
Hesitation
Repetition
Vague language
Incorrect terminology
Missing stages
Poor organisation
Listen back and note where the explanation becomes unclear.
Then record an improved version.
This can be especially helpful for:
Speaking assessments
Essay planning
Processes
Theories
Case studies
Write a “Teach It” Page
Divide a page into four sections:
The simple explanation
Explain the topic in everyday language.
The gaps
List what you could not explain.
The technical version
Add the required terminology.
The exam application
Write one question and outline how the knowledge would be used.
This creates a clear movement from understanding to exam preparation.
Combining the Feynman Technique with Retrieval Practice
The technique becomes more effective when the explanation is completed from memory.
A useful sequence is:
Study the topic.
Close the notes.
Explain the topic.
Write down gaps.
Check the notes.
Explain it again.
Repeat several days later.
This combines understanding with Retrieval Practice Explained.
Combining It with Blurting
Blurting shows what information you can recall.
The Feynman technique tests whether you can connect and explain that information.
For example:
Complete a blurt on photosynthesis.
Check missing facts.
Explain the entire process aloud.
Identify weak links.
Add accurate terminology.
Complete an exam question.
Read The Blurting Revision Method Explained for a complete brain-dump method.
Combining It with Flashcards
Use flashcards to remember:
Definitions
Formulae
Evidence
Examples
Stages
Then use the Feynman technique to explain how those pieces fit together.
For example, flashcards may help an A-Level Psychology student remember the components of the working memory model.
The Feynman explanation should show:
What each component does
How the components interact
Why the model differs from earlier explanations
What evidence supports it
Read How to Use Flashcards Properly for help designing accurate retrieval prompts.
Combining It with Elaborative Questioning
The Feynman technique and elaborative questioning work naturally together.
After each point, ask:
Why?
How?
What causes this?
What happens next?
How is it different?
What evidence supports it?
Why does it matter?
These questions force you to develop the explanation rather than list facts.
Combining It with Spaced Practice
Repeat the explanation after a delay.
For example:
Review | Activity |
Day 1 | Study and explain the topic |
Day 3 | Explain it again without notes |
Day 7 | Answer how and why questions |
Day 14 | Apply it to an exam question |
Later | Test it in a full paper |
If the explanation becomes weaker after a gap, the topic needs another review.
Combining It with Practice Questions
Explaining the topic clearly is not the final step.
You need to apply it in the form required by the exam.
After using the technique, complete:
Short explanation questions
Application questions
Calculations
Comparison questions
Essay plans
Evaluation paragraphs
Timed responses
Read Why Practice Questions Are Essential for Revision for help moving from understanding to marks.
Use the Mark Scheme to Refine the Explanation
After answering a question, compare your response with the mark scheme.
Check whether your explanation included:
The required key terms
Enough stages
Relevant application
Accurate evidence
A complete chain of reasoning
The correct level of detail
The mark scheme may show that your explanation is clear but not yet precise enough.
Add the missing terminology, then attempt a similar question later.
Using the Technique Before a Predicted Paper
The Feynman technique is useful during topic revision, particularly when you keep memorising facts without understanding them.
As the exam approaches, move towards full papers.
A useful sequence is:
Learn the topic.
Explain it simply.
Correct gaps.
Add technical terminology.
Complete topic questions.
Mix it with related content.
Test it in a predicted paper.
Analyse lost marks.
Our GCSE and A-Level predicted papers are one of the best ways to check whether your understanding can be used under realistic exam conditions.
How Predicted Papers Reveal Weak Understanding
A student may feel confident when explaining a familiar textbook example.
A predicted paper may present the same idea through:
An unfamiliar scenario
New data
A comparison
A different command word
A longer chain of reasoning
A synoptic connection
If you understand the topic securely, you should be able to adapt your explanation.
If you only memorised the original wording, unfamiliar questions may be much harder.
Read How to Use a Predicted Paper to Revise for a diagnostic approach.
What to Do After Losing Marks
Ask whether the problem was:
Missing knowledge
Return to notes, flashcards or blurting.
Poor understanding
Use the Feynman technique again.
Weak terminology
Create concise definition cards and rewrite the explanation accurately.
Poor application
Complete more scenario or data questions.
Weak structure
Practise planning and timed answers.
Timing
Use full sections or papers under timed conditions.
Choose the technique that matches the actual weakness.
Common Feynman Technique Mistakes
Reading the Explanation Instead of Producing It
Close your notes and attempt it independently.
Repeating Textbook Wording
Use your own words first.
Removing All Subject Terminology
Simple does not mean inaccurate.
Add required vocabulary back into the final version.
Oversimplifying the Topic
Make the explanation accessible without removing essential stages or conditions.
Explaining a Topic That Is Too Large
Choose one manageable process, theory or argument.
Ignoring Gaps
Write down exactly where the explanation becomes unclear.
Checking the Notes Too Quickly
Give yourself time to think and produce a partial explanation.
Never Checking Accuracy
Compare the final explanation with a reliable source.
Mistaking Confidence for Understanding
Test the idea through unfamiliar questions.
Explaining Without Applying
Complete relevant exam questions afterwards.
Memorising the Improved Explanation Word for Word
Aim to understand the logic so you can adapt it.
Using the Technique for Every Task
Calculations, essays and timing still require direct practice.
What If You Cannot Explain the Topic at All?
This usually means you need more support before using the full technique.
Try:
Break the topic into smaller questions.
Find a clear explanation.
Identify the first stage only.
Explain that stage.
Add the next stage.
Use a diagram or worked example.
Check each part.
Attempt the complete explanation later.
For example, instead of explaining all of homeostasis, begin with:
What is homeostasis?
What is negative feedback?
What happens when blood glucose rises?
What happens when blood glucose falls?
Build the explanation gradually.
What If Your Explanation Is Too Long?
A long explanation may contain unnecessary detail or lack organisation.
Try dividing it into:
Definition
Main process
Example
Evidence
Limitation
Exam application
Ask which information directly answers the question.
Being able to explain something simply often requires deciding what matters most.
How Do You Know the Technique Is Working?
You should gradually be able to:
Explain the topic without notes
Use clear cause-and-effect links
Define key terms accurately
Give relevant examples
Answer follow-up questions
Apply the idea to a new scenario
Compare it with related topics
Use the required terminology naturally
Complete exam questions more successfully
Do not judge the technique only by whether your explanation sounds confident.
Use quizzes, practice questions and papers as evidence.
A 30-Minute Feynman Revision Session
Five minutes: Choose and review
Select one focused topic and review a reliable explanation.
Ten minutes: Explain
Close the notes and explain the topic in simple language.
Five minutes: Identify gaps
Write down anything you could not explain clearly.
Five minutes: Correct and refine
Check the source, then add accurate subject terminology.
Five minutes: Apply
Complete one exam question or create a brief essay plan.
Schedule another explanation after a gap.
Feynman Technique Checklist
Before finishing the session, check that you have:
Chosen a focused topic
Explained it without copying
Used simple language
Identified unclear sections
Returned to an accurate source
Corrected misunderstandings
Removed unnecessary complexity
Added essential terminology
Included examples or evidence
Explained cause and effect
Completed an exam question
Scheduled another attempt
Planned to test the topic in a full paper
The Feynman Technique for Students: Final Advice
The Feynman technique helps you move from recognising a topic to understanding it well enough to explain it independently.
Use this process:
Choose a focused topic.
Explain it in simple language.
Notice where the explanation becomes unclear.
Return to your revision materials.
Correct the gap.
Explain it again.
Add the required subject terminology.
Apply the knowledge in an exam question.
Removing unnecessary jargon can reveal whether you genuinely understand the idea.
However, your final explanation still needs the precise vocabulary required by your GCSE or A-Level course.
The technique works particularly well for scientific processes, psychological and sociological theories, historical explanations, economic concepts and essay arguments.
It should not replace calculations, timed essays or full-paper practice.
Once you can explain a topic clearly, complete relevant questions and eventually test your understanding through one of our GCSE or A-Level predicted papers.
Predicted papers require you to apply ideas to unfamiliar questions, which is a much stronger test than repeating a memorised textbook explanation.
A topic is not fully understood because it sounds familiar.
It is understood when you can explain it clearly, accurately and flexibly enough to use it when the exam question changes. 💡
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