The MIT Writing Requirement has two phases. Phase 1 is the same for all students, and most people take care of it during the freshman year. Phase 2 is administered by the departments; its purpose is to ensure that graduates are proficient in the particular forms of writing used within their own discipline. (Double majors may pass Phase 2 in either of their major departments.) This document deals with Phase 2 in the Chemical Engineering Department.
Course X majors must take at least one of the two Chemical Engineering Laboratory courses 10.26 and 10.27. Both labs are designed so that in the normal course of the subject you will produce papers that will get you through Phase 2. Both labs are taught in cooperation with the Writing Center, and there is plenty of opportunity to get help with your writing. Almost everyone in the department passes Phase 2 by taking one of these subjects, and almost everyone who takes one of these subjects passes Phase 2. Relax, and you will get through it in the normal course of events.
Some people will need to make other arrangements to pass Phase 2 in time. The most common reason is skipping both labs by going X-C. One alternative is to take one of the 12-unit writing subjects (21F226, 21F228, 21W780 or 21W783). The other option is to submit a Phase 2 paper. If you need to do this, please contact the Course X writing coordinator (Eric Anderson x3-2369) directly.
Since the spring of 1995, a writing practicum (21W781) has been offered in conjunction with our spring semester lab. This is a six-unit writing course that will give you extra opportunities to develop your communications skills. It is not required to take this subject to pass Phase 2, but it is an excellent way to develop skills that are critical to being a successful engineer (and to pick up 6 units on the side). Since most of the work for the practicum is work that you already need to do for the lab, this 6-unit course does not require six additional units of work.
Students who wish to take the practica associated with other lab courses (such as 3.081) are welcome to do so, but this will not automatically get you through Phase 2 in course X.
--- Last modified 7/5/95 --- Eric W. Anderson --- ewanders@mit.edu