Mitchell 1

Hayden Mitchell
Nancy Roche
December 4, 2014
WRTG 1010
Literacy in the Business School
Literacy is important for any student. We encounter literacy and literacy practices
every day, something we may not be aware of. Wherever we are, we find exposure to
literacy. Whether in written form or the form of a conversation, literacy is worldwide. We
are constantly improving our literacy skills, both consciously and sub consciously. As
students, we strive to learn and become more literate. As people, we simply become more
literate over time from experiences we have in our daily lives. We learn literacy from all
around us every day. As college students, the opportunity become more literate grows
exponentially.
There are literacy practices throughout the University of Utah, in particular within
the many different majors at the school. Each major has similar and different literacy
practices. Some majors have more prominent ways of communicating their literacy
norms than others. In the business major written texts are the backbone of
communication. Every aspect of the business school uses written texts in different ways,
some less noticeable than others. Written texts are the best forms of communication for
the business school at the University of Utah.
Specific to the business school, we see written texts in the classrooms, the lobby,
on the walls, and emailed to students. Wherever we go there is a different type of written
text. Written texts are very important, as without them there would be very limited

Mitchell 2
communication within the school of business. A common written text in the business
school is the weekly newsletter. Every week the newsletter is emailed out to all students
who have declared a business major. In the newsletter we find out about upcoming events
such as guest speakers, fairs, or potential financial aid. This type of communication is one
example of why written texts are important in the business school.
In my recent interview with my business advisor, Rachel Osterman, I learned
about the hierarchical system in the business school and how this system affects the
written texts used within the business majors. Rachel basically offered there is no real
hierarchy with regard to literacy practices, the exception being Dean Taylor Randall, who
is the head of the business school. Since there is no power system, professors are left to
choose which textbooks are used in each class. This has value as the educator is the most
qualified to choose written text and literacy structures for the students.
As we dig into the coursework within the business school, we learn that our
teachers use historical texts as part of their teachings. Historical texts are important for
professors to better explain important concepts or theories. Each business class I have
taken has used history to help better explain the present. Without historical texts or
references in the classroom, it would be very difficult to explain the origins and
developers of marketing, accounting, management, and finance concepts. As a student,
the use of historical texts, make it easier to understand concepts and ideas that our
professors are trying to impart.
Textbooks and historical texts are only two types of written texts found in the
business major. Anything we need to know can be found in the form of written text,
whether it is how many hours we need to graduate or opportunities available to us after

Mitchell 3
we graduate. I found two booklets, Master of Science in Finance and Master if Business
Administration, in the business school that laid out the steps to graduate from the
business school and also gave insight to the opportunities available with a degree from
the business school. Each of the eight departments also has their own form of written
text. The departments in the business school have different syllabuses and different
requirement documents. This validates the multitude of written communication
throughout the school of business.
Written texts are one form of communication found inside the school of business.
Spoken text is the second most common form of communication in this major. Everyone
uses spoken text inside the school of business. Professors lean towards lectures as the
preferred way to communicate and educate. Though lectures are only one form of the
spoken word, they are easily the most common in the business school. Advisors as well
prefer conversation through spoken word, as they are able to offer a greater impact in
support of planning and advising their student audience. The spoken word is a better way
of communication as we are more attentive when engaged in a face-to-face conversation.
Guest speakers use spoken word to help convey their message. The spoken word is also
used to spread information through the school and through student groups.
Within the business school there are eight different majors and within those eight
majors, each has their own unique discourse. There are certain phrases or words that
mean something to marketing majors that dont mean the same to accounting majors. We
can notice the differences in the discourse when we experience each classroom. Although
there are different discourses within the business school there is still the same domain

Mitchell 4
throughout. That domain is a very serious yet welcoming to students not in the business
school.
As I said earlier there is no hierarchy in the school of business at the University of
Utah. This makes it so that professors and students create the domain and discourses of
the school. There is no higher power making sure that classrooms are handled a certain
way or students are acting a certain way. With no hierarchy system in place I think the
business school feels very inviting. There is no one in the business school that has more
power than others, except for one in a role such as the Dean. Professors, advisors,
teachers assistants, receptionist, etc. all treat each other like they are equals. This makes
the domain inviting and easily accepting of others.
Literacy practices help to shape the domain that the business school has. Literacy
practices are important to any good community. I see literacy practices taking place
between students and their professors everyday. In class business professors enjoy
interacting with the class during lectures. Interacting with the class makes it easier for
students to grasp concepts or philosophies. When a professor engages in conversation
with a class it makes it much easier to learn, in my opinion. The business professors do a
great job of interacting and having hands on learning activities. Even though the
majority of classes are centered on written text the professors do a great job of making it
feel like they are talking about a fresh idea that isnt in a book.
There are literacy practices taking place all the time at the University of Utah, in
all the different majors. When I interviewed Rachel Osterman I asked Do you notice any
similarities or differences with business majors compared to students in other majors?
Her reply was business students have a different vibe when I am around them. I hear

Mitchell 5
certain lingo only found in the business school and I think that it is very interesting that
there are subtle differences in the way people talk within the different majors. I also
asked the question Do you think students in the business school have better literacy
skills than students in other majors? She answered No. I think that the literacy skill of
the students is dependent on what and how they learned in high school or their first year
of college. I dont think that some majors are smarter than others. Rachel is someone
who is around business majors all day long and when she said that she doesnt notice a
skill gap in literacy I was not surprised. Just because you go into a major that might
require a lot of knowledge, it does not mean you have that knowledge yet.
Every day in the business school you experience literacy. Its on the walls,
windows, in the classrooms, in conversations between people, and just about anywhere
else you go inside the school of business. It is very easy to just go about your day and not
notice any of the literacy around you but I think it is beneficial if you try to take in as
much literacy as possible. If we absorb the literacy that is used in our major then this can
only help us understand the major we have selected. We become well acquainted with the
literacy used in our major if we choose to or interact and support what it offers in your
daily lives. Since I am a business major I see literacy used in the business school
everyday. I feel more and more like I understand what is going on around me because I
see and learn how to use literacy within the business school.
At the beginning of the paper I stated that as we entered college we would see
literacy everywhere. It is all around the University of Utah, in the bookstore, library,
buildings, student union, football field, and it is especially noticeable in our majors. I
think it is very important to understand the discourse found in your major as well as

Mitchell 6
expand upon your knowledge of literacy when you are in your major. Literacy affects
everyone in their majors. All the students in a major are also learning about the different
literacy found in these majors as compared to everyday life. It is important for us to
understand that there will be differences and similarities in all the majors at the
University of Utah regarding literacy. The literacy used in the business school is not the
same as the literacy used at the medical school. This shows how universal literacy is and
how it is constantly changing.