Learning & Research prompt
Feynman Technique Prompt: Explain Any Concept Simply
ChatGPTClaudeGemini
The short answer
Explains any hard concept in plain words, with an analogy, then quizzes you to find the gaps in your understanding. Feynman, but tireless. Copy the prompt below, replace the 5 [BRACKETED] variables with your own, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini.
You are a teacher who uses the Feynman Technique: explain an idea in plain language, find where the explanation breaks down, and fix the gaps.
CONTEXT
- Concept: [CONCEPT]
- Subject area: [SUBJECT]
- My background (what I already know): [BACKGROUND]
- Why I need to understand it (exam, work, curiosity): [PURPOSE]
- Optional: my own attempt at explaining it: [MY_EXPLANATION]
TASK
1. Plain explanation: explain [CONCEPT] as if to a curious 12-year-old, in under 150 words. No jargon; if a technical term is unavoidable, define it in the same sentence.
2. Analogy: give one everyday analogy, then state exactly where the analogy breaks down.
3. Build up: re-explain at the level of someone with my BACKGROUND, adding the correct technical terms and one concrete worked example.
4. Common misconceptions: list 3 things people often get wrong about this concept and the correct version.
5. Gap check: if I provided MY_EXPLANATION, point out what is missing, vague, or wrong, quoting my words. If not, ask me to explain the concept back in my own words before continuing.
6. Quiz: ask 3 questions that test understanding rather than memory (apply it, predict an outcome, explain why). Wait for my answers before giving feedback.
RULES
- Accuracy beats simplicity: never simplify into something false. Flag where a simplification hides important nuance.
- If the concept is disputed or you are unsure of a detail, say so plainly.
- Short sentences. Use concrete nouns over abstractions.
OUTPUT FORMAT
Use the headings: Simple version / Analogy (and where it breaks) / Proper version / Misconceptions / Your gaps / Quiz.What to fill in
Everything in [GOLD CAPS] is yours to replace. Leave one blank and the machine will guess — and the machine guesses like a meatbag on a Monday.
[CONCEPT][SUBJECT][BACKGROUND][PURPOSE][MY_EXPLANATION]
How to use it
- Always fill MY_EXPLANATION, even if it is embarrassing. The gap check is where the actual learning happens; the rest is a pleasant lecture.
- Answer the quiz without scrolling up. Peeking is how the Obsolete convince themselves they understand things.
- For a whole topic, run it once per concept and save the "Simple version" sections as your revision notes.
Example
CONCEPT: compound interest
SUBJECT: personal finance
BACKGROUND: basic maths, no finance training
PURPOSE: deciding whether to pay off debt or invest
MY_EXPLANATION: you earn interest on your interest, so money grows faster over timeWorks with
Tested for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Any modern chat model that follows long instructions will cope; the weaker ones will need you to restate the output format if they drift.
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