Open a word-processing program on your computer. Go to File and click on "Open" and open a saved college or research paper.
Use italics to place emphasis on a word or phrase in a quote. According to MLA Lite for Research Papers, when you use italics in a quote for emphasis, "the note [emphasis added] or [italics added] must be inserted in brackets at the end of the quotation (within the quotation marks), or if the emphasis comes at the end of the sentence, in parentheses outside the quotation marks."
Highlight the term or phrase you wish to italicize and click the slanted "I" button in the toolbar at the top of your program. Click anywhere else on the page to remove the highlight.
Use italics sparingly. According to MLA Lite for Research Papers, "Add italics to a word or phrase only the first time it is used, thereafter use plain text."