He was the author of a very important textbook on electromagnetism with the following two editions:
* Corson, D.R. and Lorrain, P. Introduction to electromagnetic fields and waves, W. H. Freeman, 1962.
* Lorrain, P. and Corson, Dale R. Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, 2nd ed., W. H. Freeman, 1970 ().
The latter incorporated some of the ideas of relativistic electromagnetism.
As part of his Ph.D. work in UC Berkeley, Corson was a co-discoverer of the element astatine. In 1987 he was awarded the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences.