Question

I am writing a paper and using an instrument within my research to gather research. Does my instrument within my paper need to be italicized? or bolded?

Answer 1

Generally methodology does not needed any special formatting to offset it. It just needs to be described. Apparatus should appear in a subsection of your methodology section and only needs to be described if there is something special about it. So common instruments do not need special description. Specialized instruments should be described to the extent of allowing the reader to understand how they work without going into minute detail.

According to the APA Manual:

"The subsection on apparatus briefly describes the apparatus or materials used and their function in the experiment. Standard laboratory equipment, such as furniture, stopwatches, or screens, can usually be mentioned without detail. Identify specialized equipment obtained from a commercial supplier by the model number of the equipment and the supplier's name and location. Complex or custom-made equipment may be illustrated by a drawing or photograph. A detailed description of complex equipment may be included in an appendix."