Professor Charles Kane on Writing in Physics

About the Professor

Charles Kane primarily studies quantum electronic phenomena in solids, which falls under condensed matter physics. His discovery of topological insulators has earned him numerous awards. Dr. Kane believes that writing is important no matter what discipline one is in.

Personal Writing Process

The most important part of writing for Dr. Kane is having a clear idea of what he wants to say. Once he has an idea, he first writes down an outline and relevant equations before the actual writing. Like many people, Dr. Kane often struggles most with simply getting what he wants to say on paper. He says, "I've learned that it's important to just write something to get started." If the idea is clear, the thoughts usually organize themselves. After the initial draft, he comes back to the paper to revise it until it is ready for publication.

Types of Writing

Dr. Kane mostly writes research papers. This includes shorter four-page papers and longer 10- or 20-page papers. He also writes grant proposals, letters for recommendation and promotion, reviews of other articles, and department reports.

Example of Professional Writing