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\title{Area Examination Procedure in Area II}
\author{Professor Shafi Goldwasser, Area II Chair}
\date{17 September 1997}

\maketitle

The ``Area Examination'' is a
combined written and oral examination scheduled and evaluated by the
Area~II Committee.  The purpose of this examination is to test
students' ability to
acquire knowledge from, analyze, and evaluate the research literature
in their field.  The first part of the Area Examination is centered
around a small number---at most three---of advanced research papers on
some topic of research interest to the student.  The second part involves
general questioning in the student's area.

Students should apply for the examination at the beginning of the term
in which the examination is to take place, usually the sixth or
seventh semester of graduate study.  Application forms are available
in the EECS Graduate Office (38-444) and in the Area~II Secretary's
office (NE43-305)\footnote{The form is also available as a \LaTeX\
template via anonymous ftp from {\em theory.lcs.mit.edu\/} in the file
{\tt pub/areaii/area-application.tex}.  Send mail to {\tt
areaii-secretary@theory.lcs.mit.edu} for more information.}.
Applications are due in the Area~II Secretary's office on Registration
Day of the term in which the exam is to be taken.

The Area~II Committee appoints the examining committee.  It consists
of three faculty members, at least two from the Department of
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.  When filling out the
application form, students should list several faculty members whom
they would like to have on the examining committee.  If possible, the
Area~II Committee will assign at least one person from this list.

The student also suggests on the application form three or more
research topics for papers to be presented at the exam.  These topics
should be chosen from the student's research interests, but should
not relate directly to his or her thesis topic.  If there are regular
graduate courses in these topics offered in the department, the
student is expected to have taken those courses.  The examining
committee selects papers on one of these topics after consultation
with the student.  Papers authored by members of the examining
committee should not be selected.

The examining committee assigns the research papers one month before
the date of the oral part of the Area Examination.  The student is
usually also given a specific question to address.  The student should
read the papers and review other background material---typically
several other research papers---that help to put the assigned papers
in context.

The student may care to consult with researchers already familiar with
the papers; such consultation should be cleared {\em in advance\/}
with the examining committee chair, and appropriate acknowledgements
should be included in the student's written report.  Any other
questions the student has about the exam should also be directed to
the committee chair.

The student should submit a ten to fifteen page written report to the
Exam Committee at least one week before the oral examination.  This
report should explain the important ideas of the papers, describe
their significance to the research area, and describe the
relationships among the ideas in the different papers.  The report
should not be merely a restatement of the material in the papers.  The
student is encouraged to criticize, make improvements, and suggest
alternatives to the approaches described in the papers.

The oral part of the Area Examination begins with an oral presentation
by the student of the written report.  The presentation should be at
most thirty minutes long, not counting time for questions by the Exam
Committee.  Although the prepared oral presentation is at most half an
hour, the questions and ensuing discussion often double the time for
this part of the exam.  The talk is generally followed by more
questioning based on the written document.

After a brief break, the examination continues with general
questioning in the student's research field.  To be prepared for this
part of the exam, students are expected to have taken a selection of
advanced courses in their area.  Laboratory work or other outside
experience can substitute for course work.

After the general questioning, the student is asked to leave the room
while the committee discusses the exam.  The examining committee will
then inform the student of its planned recommendation to the Area~II
Committee.  After the exam, the examining committee chair writes a
report and recommendation to the Area~II Committee.  The Area~II
Committee, rather than the examining committee, makes the final
decision on fulfillment of the Area Examination requirement, based
solely on the student's performance on the exam.  The Area~II
Committee then notifies the student of its decision and provides the
student with a copy of the examining committee report.  The Committee
also reports its decision to the Committee on Graduate Students.

The Area~II Committee also takes this opportunity to review the
student's overall performance in the graduate program, considering in
particular, the Area Examination Committee reports, the research
supervisor's report, and completion of the graduate core requirement.

Passing this exam constitutes completion of MIT's General Examination
requirement.  (See also {\em Memorandum to Graduate Students on the
Doctoral Program in Electrical Engineering}, EECS Memo 3800.)

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