Bold
To make certain text more prominent, like a crucial date or significant details, use bold sparingly.
It's not advisable to make the punctuation bold after the bold text unless the whole sentence is already in bold.
In case you are transcribing a speech, it may be useful to apply bold or italic formatting to highlight specific words that the speaker emphasised during the speech.
Italics
When writing, apply italics to any foreign words or phrases found within the text, unless the word is anglicised or widely used (like café).
Examples:
Fin de siècle
Schadenfreude
Mise en scène
Disce doce
When referring to the title of a publication in running copy or when attributing a quote, the title should be italicised.
Examples:
The Irish Independent
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
If you need to indicate a plural or a past tense for an italicised title or phrase, only italicise the actual title or phrase, not the added letters like s or ed.
Only include punctuation in italics if it is part of the title or quote. Keep in mind that identifying whether a comma or full stop is in italics may not always be straightforward.
For people with dyslexia, italics can pose an additional challenge as they disrupt the normal flow of text and make it harder for the reader to identify individual letters and words.
Therefore, it is important to use italics sparingly and with consideration for those who may struggle with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
Underlining
Avoid using underlining for emphasis; this generally suggests hyperlinks, especially on web pages. It can also be difficult for readers with dyslexia to decipher underlined text.