23 Italics and Underlining
23
Italics and Underlining
Italic or slanted type is used for emphasizing particular words or phrases. It is also used to set off titles of longer works, names of vehicles, non-English words, and words deserving special emphasis.
When writing by hand or using a typewriter, use underlining to indicate italics. Most word-processing programs provide italic type, and most style guides used for college writing, such as the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), require it.
23a Italicize or underline titles of works published separately
BOOKS |
Great Expectations |
PLAYS AND MUSICALS |
Rent |
LONG POEMS |
The Iliad |
MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS |
Entertainment Weekly; the New York Review of Books |
NEWSPAPERS |
the Columbus Dispatch |
MOVIES AND DVDS |
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse |
LONG MUSICAL WORKS, RECORDINGS |
Exile on Main St. |
TELEVISION AND RADIO SERIES |
Jersey Shore |
VISUAL WORKS OF ART (PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES) |
Birth of Venus |
The titles of shorter works, such as the titles of articles, short stories, and songs, should be enclosed in quotation marks (see 15g).
23b Italicize or underline the names of ships, trains, aircraft, and spacecraft
| Titanic | Spirit of St. Louis |
| Orient Express | space shuttle Challenger |
23c Italicize or underline non-English words not in everyday use
Words from other languages should be italicized unless they have become a part of the English language, such as “chic” or “burrito.” If you are unsure, check an English dictionary. If the word is not listed, it should be italicized.
23d Italicize or underline numbers, letters, words, or phrases called out for special emphasis
Use italics for numbers, letters, or words used as terms.
Italicize a word or phrase that is being defined or emphasized.
Use italics for emphasis sparingly. When you italicize too many words in a sentence or paragraph, the emphasis is lost.
