Emphasizing Important Text

In an oral presentation, you use different intonations for emphasis. To get an important point across, you might raise your voice and pronounce each word slowly and clearly. Speaking in a monotone will either bore your audience to tears or put them to sleep. Using a different tone of voice and pausing before important points help to hold your audience's attention.

You can do the same thing with a printed document. Judicious use of bold, italic, underline, and other effects can guide a reader through the text and draw attention to key points.