Is "in layman's terms" a slang idiom? If it is, what would be the best way of saying it in an academic work.
E.g.
I want to explain these terms in a layman terms.
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Is "in layman's terms" a slang idiom? If it is, what would be the best way of saying it in an academic work.
E.g.
I want to explain these terms in a layman terms.
Best Answer
I think what you're asking is "Is 'in layman's terms' formal enough for an academic paper?" The answer is yes, it is OK to use that expression in your paper. It is not informal or slang.
As Alan recommended in his comment 'in layperson's terms' is a good alternative if you want to make an effort to use gender-neutral terms. I personally think that layperson is a little awkward, but it can be important in some environments to choose more 'inclusive' words.
I would write "I will explain my conclusions in layman's terms." In my opinion, you should not say 'explain terms' if you are talking about certain technical words, you should say 'define terms'; I'm not sure everyone agrees with me about that. You could explain the 'terms' of a contract, but I think that is a different meaning from the one you intend to write.