Difference between revisions of "What makes a word explanation good?"
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* Simulates the reader's inexperienced state of mind | * Simulates the reader's inexperienced state of mind | ||
** Anticipates common misinterpretations/misconceptions and counters them | ** Anticipates common misinterpretations/misconceptions and counters them | ||
− | ** Does not assume infinite working memory | + | ** Does not assume infinite working memory (what goes wrong when this is violated: [[Unbounded working memory assumption in explanations]]) |
* Considers all or many permutations of ideas (see [[permutation trick]] for a similar idea) | * Considers all or many permutations of ideas (see [[permutation trick]] for a similar idea) | ||
* Alternates between concrete and abstract | * Alternates between concrete and abstract |
Revision as of 01:00, 16 July 2021
- Establishes the prerequisites/background the reader needs, and then builds on that background
- Simulates the reader's inexperienced state of mind
- Anticipates common misinterpretations/misconceptions and counters them
- Does not assume infinite working memory (what goes wrong when this is violated: Unbounded working memory assumption in explanations)
- Considers all or many permutations of ideas (see permutation trick for a similar idea)
- Alternates between concrete and abstract
- Actually gives a precise/technical/gears-level/mechanistic model for the reader to tinker with