What are the conventions for indicating programming variables within text? From my thesis:


  In this method, the get_config_value function is used that is defined within the PyWPS API.


How should I format the "get_config_value" variable?

It should be formatted differently than the rest of the text, but I don't know what the conventions are.  Using italic or bold fonts doesn't look right to me.
It is common to typeset code with a monospaced font (a font whose characters have all the same width), like get_config_value. 

If you're using LaTeX to write your thesis, you can use the command \texttt for inline code. For clarity and flexibility, it's probably better to define a new command, e.g. \newcommand{\code}[1]{\texttt{#1}}. You can use the listings package for longer pieces of code.

For other typesetting systems or word processors, check their manual.