Textual Archaeology: Lessons in the History of Business Writing Pedagogy from a Medieval Oxford Scholar

Argues that Thomas Sampson, author of the 1396 "Modus Dictandi," deserves attention because of his work as a teacher. Explains that Sampson was a practitioner and instructor of the art of letter writing. Contends that Sampson's work is a discursive artifact yielding multiple insights into the origins of business communication as taught and practiced in English-speaking countries today. (PM)