The solution is to foo, producing what is called a bar.
or
The solution is to foo, producing what is called a "bar".
Should I use generally use one over the other; and if so, which one? If either is acceptable, then which style guides (if any) have an explicit preference?
Best Answer
Putting quotes around something is called scare quotes. They are only used when:
a) the term is being used in a non-standard way b) to mark off irony
I assume that you are not using "bar" in an ironic context, so it boils down to a question: are you using "bar" in a non-standard way? For example, you wouldn't put quotes around the following:
DNA is sometimes divided into nucleotides.
You would use quotes if you said:
DNA is sometimes divided into "letters."
Because "letter" is a non-standard term in the context of DNA, it needs scare quotes.
If you are trying to emphasize a word/phrase, never use quotes! Use italics instead.