first user contributed test, note the two files that needed to be edited, this kinda sucks

tests/frontend/index.html

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     <script src="helper.js"></script>
     
     <script src="specs/button_bold.js"></script>
+    <script src="specs/button_italic.js"></script>
 
     <script src="runner.js"></script>
-</html>
+</html>

tests/frontend/specs/button_italic.js

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+describe("italic button", function(){
+  //create a new pad before each test run
+  beforeEach(function(cb){
+    testHelper.newPad(cb);
+  });
+
+  it("makes text italic", function() {
+    //get the inner iframe
+    var $inner = testHelper.$getPadInner();
+    
+    //get the first text element out of the inner iframe
+    var firstTextElement = $inner.find("div").first();
+    
+    //select this text element
+    testHelper.selectText(firstTextElement[0]);
+
+    //get the bold button and click it
+    var $italicButton = testHelper.$getPadChrome().find(".buttonicon-italic");
+    $italicButton.click();
+
+    //ace creates a new dom element when you press a button, so just get the first text element again
+    var newFirstTextElement = $inner.find("div").first();
+    
+    // is there a <b> element now?
+    var isItalic = newFirstTextElement.find("i").length === 1;
+
+    //expect it to be bold
+    expect(isItalic).to.be(true);
+
+    //make sure the text hasn't changed
+    expect(newFirstTextElement.text()).to.eql(firstTextElement.text());
+  });
+});