\documentstyle[12pt,vi,listing,epsf]{mitthesis}
\pagestyle{plain}

%% This bit allows you to either specify only the files which you wish to
%% process, or `all' to process all files which you \include.
%% Krishna Sethuraman (1990).

\typein [\files]{Enter file names to process, (chap1,chap2 ...), or `all' to
process all files:}
\def\all{all}
\ifx\files\all \typeout{Including all files.} \else \typeout{Including only \files.} \includeonly{\files} \fi

\begin{document}

\include{cover}
\pagestyle{plain}
\include{contents}
\include{chap1}
\include{chap2}
\include{chap3}
\include{chap4}
\appendix
\include{appa}
\include{appb}
\include{appc}
\include{biblio}

\end{document}

