When Writing About An Article Do You Italicize It?
When it comes to writing academic papers, many authors are unsure of when to italicize their words. However, using italics correctly can help clarify the author’s meaning and create an impact on the reader’s mind.
There are a few general rules that you should follow when it comes to italics in academic writing. First, it is important to remember that the use of italics does not necessarily reflect a change in grammar or spelling. It is more of a matter of style and emphasis that should be used with care, but not overuse.
It is also important to note that you should italicize the titles of longer works, such as books and journal articles. Shorter titles, such as poems, stories, and chapters in books, should be put in quotation marks.
Whether or not you should italicize a word in your article title depends on its significance to the topic of your paper. If the word is not widely known, it will probably not confuse your readers and should not be italicized.
A word in your title that has a strong psychological association to the topic should be italicized, as well. This type of emphasis can create a sense of urgency and add depth to your writing.
You can also italicize a word if it is foreign to your audience, as long as the word appears in a good dictionary or other reference source. For example, you may italicize the word conditioned taste aversion if your audience is likely to be familiar with the term and would not be confused by its unfamiliar use in an article about behavioral neuroscience or biological psychology research.
The same goes for a word in your title that has an uncommon spelling or pronunciation. This type of attention-grabbing emphasis can be helpful to your writing, but it should only be used if the word is truly unique or rare.
Lastly, you should italicize words that are new to your audience and have a significant impact on your subject. It is also important to be cautious about the use of technical terminology, as this can cause cognitive dissonance and impede audience comprehension.
A list of possible instances when it is appropriate to italicize a word or phrase in your writing can be found in our style guide. Be sure to check the specific guidelines for your style guide before and during the writing process.
When to Italicize a Word or Phrase
If your paper is written in APA or MLA, you will have to italicize the words or phrases that are considered to be in your field of study. These include the names of scientific plants and animals, words that are used in a foreign language, and certain terms that are expected to be new or technical to your audience.
It is also important to remember that you should italicize the titles if they are part of larger works, such as a book, a journal article, or a television show. The title of a legal case should be italicized, as well.
