If one cannot state a matter clearly enough so that even an intelligent twelve-year-old can understand it, one should remain within the cloistered walls of the university and laboratory until one gets a better grasp of one's subject matter.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- If you cannot explain your subject simply, you do not understand it well enough to teach or publish.
- In plain terms
- Simple explanation shows real understanding.
- What can you take from it?
- Clarity proves mastery.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can you explain your work to a child?
- Does clarity matter in your field?
Another view
Some complex topics resist simple explanation.
More from Margaret Mead
I was wise enough to never grow up while fooling most people into believing I had.
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