Q&A for How to Use Italics

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I am writing a book and one of the main characters has thoughts here and there. Would I those be italicized?

Donagan

Top Answerer

It's not required. Doing so would be a matter of stylistic choice.

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Question

In fiction, when I'm writing a thought in italics, and that thought includes a word that would normally be in italics, such as a TV show or book title, then the book title or TV show is de-italicized?

Donagan

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Yes.

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Question

Should Roman words be italicized?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Roman (Latin) words are sometimes italicized to differentiate them from English, but it's not required.

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Do you italicize street names?

Community Answer

No, they're normally just capitalized.

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Question

I am writing a novel that happens on a specific day, but is mostly comprised of flashbacks. Is it all right to use italics to emphasize the chapters that happen on the day, to avoid confusion?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Clarification is always a good thing, but whole chapters in italics might be overkill.

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When writing a family history, is it okay to put a direct quote from a deceased person in italics?

Community Answer

Yes, in fact that is the best way to ensure that it stands out as a quote.

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Question

When writing a story with dialog in quotations, should internal thoughts be italicized?

Donagan

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You could do that (to set thoughts apart from spoken words), but that isn't normally done.

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Are you supposed to italicize the name of a department, e.g., Human Resources Department?

Community Answer

No, it is sufficient to use the capital letters.

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Do I italicize dialog? For example I'm writing a manual and in one part, I'm instructing to say "Thank you for your participation today." should I italicize the text inside the quotation marks?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No, the quotation marks are sufficient.

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Question

Do I italicize a company name on a resume?

Community Answer

No. If you want to put emphasis on the company names in your resume, bolding is the more common practice. However, it's usually advisable to put the emphasis on your position titles instead.

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Question

Should I use italics for the name of a short poem or a reading from the Bible?

Community Answer

No. You'd put the name of a poem in quotes, and just capitalize the section of the Bible.

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Do I need to italicize a species name every time it is mentioned in an article, or just in the first appearance of the word?

Community Answer

Yes, the same formatting needs to be used every time.

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Do I italicize names of fictional characters?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Not typically.

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Question

If I use information from the Internet in a book, does that information need to be in italics?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No, information derived from the Internet does not need to be italicized.

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Question

If I'm writing a research paper should I italicize times and dates, like the Age of Enlightenment?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Ages or eras are often capitalized but not italicized.

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Should the title of a course, for example, Introduction to Psychology, be italicized?

Donagan

Top Answerer

That is done occasionally, but there's really no need for it.

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Question

Should I put venues in italics?

Amazing_Jen

Community Answer

No, it's a derivative from the Latin English word "venire" that is widely accepted in standard English nowadays.

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Question

How can I provide emphasis in formal writing if I cannot use italics?

Community Answer

Structure your sentence so that, when you read it aloud, emphasis naturally falls where you intend it.

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Question

Should words that denote shouting be italicized?

Community Answer

It depends on the type of writing. If you're writing dialogue in a story, you usually wouldn't add any special formatting, you'd just put an exclamation point at the end of the sentence and maybe add "he shouted/yelled/screamed" before/after the dialogue. Writing shouted words in ALL CAPS is also a common practice - just don't overdo it, as that can get annoying to read. Italics doesn't really get used to denote shouting, just more moderate emphasis.

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What about band names?

Donagan

Top Answerer

There is no reason to italicize band names (other than to add emphasis).

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Question

Should I italicize artists names, e.g. Giacometti, in my short story?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No. Unless you're particularly trying to emphasize the name, don't italicize it.

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Should I italicize the names of places in my novel?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Italicizing a place name is appropriate only if you want to give it special emphasis.

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Do I need to italicize the definition of an abbreviation?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No.

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Does academic writing require italics for book titles?

Community Answer

In most writing, it is standard to italicize book titles. If you are not given a specific style guide to follow, it is safest to italicize them.

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Question

When I italicize one foreign word, should I use only at the first time and not repeatedly in the same passage?

Donagan

Top Answerer

If you're going to italicize it, you should do so every time. The italicization is just an acknowledgement that the word is foreign.

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Question

Do I use italics when writing a quote?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Generally, no. However, italicize if quoting a written italicization or underscore or if quoting a verbal emphasis.

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Are events italicized?

Community Answer

Not usually, no.

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Question

What is preferred for popular song titles: quotes or italics?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Song titles are not generally italicized.

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Should I italicize the name of a ski lift? Example: Birds of Prey Express.

Donagan

Top Answerer

Not unless you're trying to emphasize it for some reason.

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Question

Within a novel where foreign words are italicized, should they also be italicized within the characters' dialogue?

Rhonda Crook-Roddy

Community Answer

No, I wouldn't think so. Dialogue can include regionalisms, slang, grammatical misfirings, etc., because it reflects the character's speech.

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