MegaMaester

Communication & Argumentation · Module 5

The Art of Explanation

The first four modules covered clear communication, argument, media, and the deeper craft. This module focuses on one of the most valuable communication skills of all: explaining — making complex things clear, memorable, and truly understood by another person.

You will learn why experts explain badly, how to use analogies and examples, how to make ideas stick, how to adapt to different audiences, how to teach and mentor, how to explain hard things like numbers and risk, and how to become a great explainer.

Lessons
7 lessons
Estimated time
~6-8 hours
Assessment
Module quiz included

Not started yet

Lessons

Lesson 1 · 16 min

The Curse of Knowledge

Lesson 2 · 16 min

Explaining with Analogies and Examples

Lesson 3 · 16 min

Making Ideas Stick

Lesson 4 · 16 min

Explaining to Different Audiences

Lesson 5 · 16 min

Teaching and Mentoring Others

Lesson 6 · 16 min

Explaining Hard Things: Numbers, Risk, and Bad News

Lesson 7 · 16 min

Becoming a Great Explainer

Check your understanding

Finish the lessons, then test yourself. Your best score is saved on this device. You can also open this quiz on its own page.

The Art of Explanation — Module Assessment

14 questions · pass mark 75%

  1. 1.What best describes the curse of knowledge?
  2. 2.In Elizabeth Newton's 1990 tappers and listeners study, what did the results reveal?
  3. 3.Why should a careful explainer signal where an analogy breaks down?
  4. 4.How is the claim that concreteness aids understanding, as presented in Made to Stick, best characterized?
  5. 5.In the SUCCESs framework, why does concreteness matter so much for making an idea memorable?
  6. 6.What is the 'curse of knowledge', and why does it matter for explaining ideas?
  7. 7.According to David Ausubel, what should most shape how you explain something to a particular listener?
  8. 8.Why is checking understanding a necessary final step in explaining, rather than an optional courtesy?
  9. 9.What does the "protege effect" describe?
  10. 10.Which statement best captures the purpose of scaffolding in teaching?
  11. 11.Why does expressing a risk as "10 out of 1,000" usually communicate better than "1%" or a conditional probability?
  12. 12.A drug is advertised as cutting your risk of a disease "by 50%." What should you ask before judging how meaningful that is?
  13. 13.According to this lesson, when have you actually explained something?
  14. 14.Why can deep expertise sometimes work against clear explanation?
Answer every question to submit.