The following text was written on the back of a bottle of pesto.1 Try to rewrite this piece of text as if it is the introduction of an academic article. You will have to use your imagination with regard to references. Use the four key elements listed above as the basic structure, and limit the introduction to a maximum of two paragraphs. Think about how you are going to characterize the past research and establish your niche using the categories in Table 12.3. Add a title that in your view encapsulates the essence of the paper. Present the finished product on a flip chart or computer projector for critique by tutors and colleagues.

“Pesto is a mainstay of Italian cooking, yet surprisingly it is little known in the UK.

The inviting ease with which Sainsbury’s Pesto can be used belies the difficulty with which it is made. The fresh basil that gives the sauce its distinctive colour and flavour is by far the most troublesome ingredient.

It occupies some of the most desirable real estate in Europe: the Ligurian hills that frame the Italian Riviera. Here, a unique mix of soil and sea breezes infuse the herb with an aroma and texture unmatched in any other part of Italy. Throughout June and July the farmers brave the summer sun to survey the maturing crop. They wander from bush to bush, sniffing and chewing the young leaves until the day they are deemed to be perfect. Then, to ensure that the leaves are harvested at their aromatic peak, the whole crop is picked within the space of a few days.”