When italicizing, do I have to include 'a,' 'an,' and 'the'?

Question

For example, I want to emphasize the term 'multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem' in the following statements.

Based on (1), (2), and (3), the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem for ~~~~~ is finally formulated as follows.

In the above statements, do I have to italicize "multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem" or "the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem"?

1.

Based on (1), (2), and (3), the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem for ~~~~~ is finally formulated as follows.

Based on (1), (2), and (3), the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem for ~~~~~ is finally formulated as follows.

Answer 1

Generally, don't use italics for emphasis! the APA guide says:

In general, avoid using italics for emphasis. Instead, rewrite your sentence to provide emphasis.

You should only use italics if there is a chance of misreading, or if the emphasis changes the meaning of the sentence.

The APA do, however, recommend italics for the first mention of a term, often followed by its definition.

However, if you do use italics, it is completely up to you whether or not to italicise the article, it is a typographic detail that you readers probably won't even notice.

Based on (1), (2), and (3), the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem for ~~~~~ is finally formulated as follows:

If you are emphasising for contrast, then only add italics to the particular element that is contrasted. If you are contrasting the ABC problem with the XYZ problem then you would emphasise ABC (and you don't need to emphasise "problem")

Unlike the problems with fertilizers, the pesticide problem can be formulated in terms of ...

But if you are contrasting the ABC problem with the ABC solution you emphasise "problem"

Pesticides have many uses for modern farms, but the pesticide problem can be formulated as...

Rr in your example, eg "the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem" (contrasted with "the multi-channel non-orthogonal single access scheduling problem")

You emphasise the part that you want to contrast.

Answer 2

In my experience, in scholarly papers, when a new concept is defined or introduced, the article is never italicized, and the rest of the noun phrase is usually italicized.

Here are several examples from the book Category Theory by Steve Awodey. In all cases, the italics are quoted exactly as they appear in the original text.

A category consists of the following data: […]

A preorder is a set P equipped with a binary relation […]

Thus, A∗ is a monoid – called the free monoid on the set A.

Your sentence seems like it introduces a new concept, so it should use italics in exactly the same way:

Based on (1), (2), and (3), the multi-channel non-orthogonal multiple access scheduling problem for ~~~~~ is finally formulated as follows.

I don't think I've ever seen the article italicized in these sorts of sentences. If I came across a sentence like this where the article is italicized, I'd find it a little strange, but probably not strange enough to call it an error.

Answer 3

I do not know of a rule which would advise against any of the two options, but I would definitely italicize THE as well, because it determines your "ABC problem", "the ABC problem" is the complete unit. Even "esthetically" it looks better than separating "the" from the phrase it determines.

Answer 4

You want to stress a noun phrase (the ABC problem), and an article (the) is a constituent part of it.

Answer 5

It depends on whether "the" is part of the actual phrase or just a helper word. In your example, I believe it is just a helper word and would not ordinarily be italicized.