If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.
– Albert Einstein
Being able to “translate” complex ideas, “translative communication”, is the secret superpower in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Some students think using huge, confusing words makes them look smart. But the really smart thing is being able to take a tough idea and make it so simple that anyone can understand it. That’s how you show you truly get it: by providing an “Aha” moment for your audience.
Try this out: explain the twisted-ladder structure of DNA and how it uses the base pairs: adenine/thymine, and guanine/cytosine to an 8-year-old. Use an analogy to show how DNA serves as a set of instructions for building every living thing.
The “Feynman Technique”
Richard Feynman (May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist, a contemporary of Albert Einstein, best known for his work on nanotechnology and Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), the latter of which I will discuss in detail, along with its analogy to personal, in a later post.
Feynman is also famous for the strategy, the “Feynman Technique”, in which he believed that if you can’t explain a complex idea to a 6-year-old, you don’t actually understand it yet; you’ve just memorized a bunch of fancy words. It was a technique that he truly mastered, as evidenced by his “The Feynman Lectures on Physics” (1961 – 1964), of which I own the original cassette version. Yes, I’m old enough to remember and own a Sony “Walkman”.
An application of the Feynman Technique can be illustrated with my original question: Can you describe the structure and function of DNA to an eight-year-old? When we use large, technical terms to describe a scientific principle, such as the structure and role of DNA in a cell’s reproductive cycle, we often lose our audience. To resolve those issues, we select an analogy. When describing DNA, we may use a Lego block analogy to describe its double-helix structure and associated base pairs, and to illustrate how it serves as the set of instructions for cellular reproduction.
The Analogy Toolkit
To be an expert using analogies as a function of “translative communication”, there are three essential steps:
Step One: Find a simple, everyday thing to use as an analogy for a complicated system. Be creative, think outside the box during this process.
The formula for choosing a great analogy?: Your Target Science or Math Concept + Familiar Everyday Object or Idea = Understanding.
For example, electricity is like water flowing through pipes; a computer’s hard drive is like a filing cabinet; and its RAM is like the surface of your desk that you clean off when you change classes or leave for the day.
Step Two: Check Your Wording (Verbage).
Find the “science or math-only” words that can sound confusing (like “osmosis” or “coefficient”) and swap them for simpler words everyone uses. Your presentation, your explanation, the words you choose, should exhibit your deep understanding of the material, not simply rote memorization.
Step Three: Always be sensitive to and aware of your audience and their level of understanding.
Constantly ask yourself, “What does my listener already know, and what will confuse them?” You don’t want to use words and concepts that are too complex, and you don’t want to offend your audience by being overly simplistic.
Why This Is Your “STEM Superpower”
There are three primary reasons why mastering this concept of “translative communication” is a key to your success.
- When working together with other students, you’ll be the person everyone wants in their lab group because you make things clear.
- When assuming a leadership role, leaders communicate a vision, not just do the math.
- When you start your career, whether you become a chemist, an engineer, or a social media “influencer”, your success depends on people understanding your ideas.
The “Grandparent Test”
Consider the following assignment: take a tricky science or math topic you learned in school – maybe it’s how photosynthesis works or the secret to solving algebraic equations – and explain it to a family member who isn’t in your class. This is called the “Grandparent Test” (but you can explain it to anyone, like an aunt, uncle, or your parents). The goal is to make it so clear and simple that they say, “Wow, I finally get it!” If you can achieve that “Aha!” moment for them, it proves you haven’t just memorized the facts; you actually understand the concept well enough to be extremely successful, no matter which field you choose as a career. Remember: the best scientists aren’t just experts; they’re amazing storytellers who can share their knowledge with the world.
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