A study investigated metadiscoursal signalling devices used in discussions in a business administration course in a British university, focusing on the use and function of the devices in seminars and tutorials. Data were drawn from seminar and discussion classes recorded for distance education purposes. The corpus of about 30,000 words included 18 presentations and discussions, with question-and-answer sessions, led by different faculty. It was found topic and interactional markers were widely used, and that some metadiscoursal signalling devices may have a dual function, operating for strategic, interpersonal purposes alongside the overt function of indicating textual relations. The range of devices functioning, at least at one level, to signal text is found to be a salient feature of interaction in seminar presentations and discussion, and is seen as relevant to any language description for pedagogical purposes. Implications are drawn for the oral language syllabus of English for Academic Purposes. Contains 20 references. (MSE)