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Referencing styles - a Practical Guide

Oscola referencing style.

Used by: the York Law School

Introduction to OSCOLA referencing style

The Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) was developed at Oxford University, and is widely used by law schools and publishers to acknowledge source information.

In-text citations & footnotes

OSCOLA uses a footnote citation system.

In the text, a number in superscript 1  is added at the end of a sentence and after the punctuation. 

The reference is then given in the footnote at the bottom of the page.

Where you cite an author of a secondary source their name should appear as it does on the publication with first name/ initials before surname.

For more detailed information, see OSCOLA 1.1 and 1.2

Bibliography

The bibliography at the end of the document includes the full details of each source so the reader can find them themselves. The list is organised by type of source, and then alphabetically. See below for more details on organising the bibliography.

The information to include depends on the types of source - see the examples.

Useful resources

• OSCOLA Referencing style A downloadable version of this OSCOLA style guide, with some extra details
• OSCOLA Quick Reference Guide A handy 1 page summary of OSCOLA style
• OSCOLA 4th Edition The full OSCOLA Standard
• OSCOLA for international law Details for citing international law sources

Guidance for all source types

Citing a source multiple times in the same document.

For a case, cite in full the first time. For further references to the case, use a short form of the case name and a cross-citation in brackets to the original footnote. If the case name is included in the text, omit it in the footnote.

If the subsequent citation is directly after the full citation, simply use the term ‘ibid’. If pinpointing specific paragraphs, place these in square brackets.

When referring to a previous citation a number of footnotes back, use the short version of the case and add n as an abbreviation signposting the number of the footnote

For subsequent citation of legislation, abbreviations are acceptable. For subsequent citation of secondary sources, you only need the author’s surname.

For more detailed information see OSCOLA 1.2

Citing multiple sources in the same footnote

For  multiple references  within one footnote use semi-colons to distinguish between them and put them in chronological order with the oldest first. For example, this footnote refers to two cases:

If one or more references are more relevant than the others put these first and then ‘see also’. For example:

Also, order the sources with legislation before cases, and primary sources before secondary.

Using pinpoints and page numbers

A pinpoint is a precise reference to the part of a judgment or report through numbered paragraphs or page numbers. There are a number of ways you can pinpoint specific details within publications, depending on what the publication is. When citing more than one paragraph, place the numbers in square brackets. In this first example the pinpoints are at the end to paragraphs 42 and 45 of the case:

In this example for a secondary source the page number 131 is given at the end:

 For more detailed information, see OSCOLA 2.1.6 and OSCOLA 4.2.5

Cross-citation

Cross citation is when you are referring to discussion in another part of your writing, for example on an earlier page or in a previous chapter. It is good practice to use cross citation as little as possible.

Try to be specific and use a specific footnote number (For example  See n 52  for the footnote. OR:  See text to n 22 .)

For more detailed information see OSCOLA 1.2.2 

Direct quotes

You need to be very precise when using quotations.

Short quotations (less than three lines)

Use  single quotation marks  and include within the text. For example:

Longer quotations (longer than three lines)

Use an indented paragraph, no quotation marks and a line space above and below.

For more detailed information, see OSCOLA 1.5

Citing a source you've read about in a different source (secondary referencing)

This means referring to a source you have not read that you have found within another source that you are using.  Try to avoid secondary referencing as it is always preferable to use the original source and you should always try to locate this.

If you find you have to use secondary referencing, in the footnote cite the source you have read, followed by ‘citing’… For example:

In the bibliography insert only the source you have read. There is no specific guidance on this within OSCOLA. 

Naming judges

When referring to a judge within a case, use the judge’s surname followed by the correct abbreviation.  (Mr or Mrs Justice Smith should be called Smith J in your text).

The exception to this rule is when the judge holds a title. A Court of Appeal Judge who is Lord or Lady Smith should be referred to as  Smith LJ .

• A House of Lords judge should be referred to as  Lord or Lady Smith  and should not be abbreviated.
• A Supreme Court judge should be referred to as  Lord Smith SCJ.
• The Lord Chief Justice can be abbreviated to  Lord Woolf CJ.

For more detailed information see OSCOLA 2.1.7

Using Westlaw or Lexis Library

You do not need to include any information about Westlaw or Lexis Library in your citations, as this is just the portal through which you accessed the report, legislation or article. Simply reference the relevant source as you would a paper copy. 

Using Latin terms within footnotes

The only Latin term that is acceptable to use within the OSCOLA style is ‘ibid’, for the instances when you are referring to the same source in consecutive footnotes. Do not use other terms such as supra, op cit, loc cit.

For more information see OSCOLA 1.2.3 u 

Using abbreviations

OSCOLA abbreviates a wide range of legal sources and institutions.

Do not use punctuation when using an abbreviation. Eg, the Director of Public Prosecutions should appear as DPP not D.P.P.

For a comprehensive list of legal abbreviations, use the Cardiff index . You can search by abbreviation to find the title, or by title to find the abbreviation.

For more detailed information, see OSCOLA Appendix 4.2 

Questions about referencing?

Contact your Faculty Librarians if you have any questions about referencing.

Commonly used sources

Examples of in-text citations and reference list entries for key source types.

Use these examples alongside the information given in the 'Guidance for all source types' box.

Act of Parliament

You should refer to the year the Act was passed rather than the year it came into force. 

Use the short title and refer to specific sections of the Act eg

 OR use s for Section in the middle of a sentence. For example:

Footnote: 

You do not need to footnote an Act if you make it identifiable in the text. 

Bibliography:   List Legislation and Cases separately in alphabetical order in the bibliography. 

See the  OSCOLA guides  and our Referencing with Confidence OSCOLA Guide for more details. 

Case citations including neutral citations: List cases in the bibliography in alphabetic order of case names. Use the following format to cite cases.

Case name in italics [year] court number, [year] OR (year) volume report abbreviation first page

If you have included the case name in the text, you do not have to include the case names in the footnote: In text:  refer to the text giving case names in italics eg: In  Phipps v Boardman 31  …..

Bibliography:

For most sources in OSCOLA, the bibliographic format is the same as the footnote. List legislation, cases and secondary sources in separate sections of your bibliography in alphabetical order. 

Treat case notes with titles as if they are journal articles. Where there is no title, use the name of the case in italics instead, and add (note) at the end of the citation:

See 3.3.2 OSCOLA 4th ed. for more details. 

Book 1 author

Capitalise the first letter of each major word of the title. Page numbers stand-alone without p or pp. use the following format for the footnote:

Information to include: Author,  Title in Italics  (edition, publisher date) page.

Book 2 or 3 authors

If the book has up to three authors, include ‘and’ in between each author. Use Initials or forename unpunctuated and with no spaces followed by surname. 

Information to include: Author, Title in Italics Capitalising Major Words  (Edition, Publisher Year) page. 

Bibliography: 

See 3.2 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details. 

Book (4 or more authors)

If a book has  more than three authors,  include ‘ and others’  after the name of the first author.

Edited book (& chapters)

Chapter in an edited book.

Information to include: author, ‘Title of chapter' in editor (ed), title in italics  (additional information, publisher year)

See 3.2.3 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details. 

Edited book

See 3.2.2 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details. 

Journal article / paper

Journal article / paper (print copy).

Footnotes: author, | ‘title’ | [year] | journal name or abbreviation | first page of article / paper,| specific page referred to

author, | ‘title’ | (year) | volume | journal name or abbreviation | first page of article / paper

Put a comma after the first page of the article / paper if you want to refer to a particular page or set of pages:

If the year serves as the volume identifier, put the year in square brackets [ ]. If there is a separate volume number, put the year in round brackets  ().

In the Young example, 72 is the volume number. Bibliography:

Omit reference to specific page numbers (other than the first page of the article / paper) in your bibliographic entry.

Journal article / paper (electronic copy)

If you source a publication online which is also available in hard copy, cite the hard copy version. There is no need to cite an electronic source for such a publication.

author, | ‘title’ | [year] OR (year) | volume/issue | journal name or abbreviation | <web address> | date accessed

If the information is only available online, give the URL before the accessed date information.

See 3.3.4 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details. 

Further sources

Examples of in-text citations and reference list entries for other source types.

Cite a Bill by its title, the House in which it originated, the Parliamentary session in brackets, and the running number assigned to it. Running numbers for House of Commons Bills are put in square brackets; those for House of Lords Bills are not. When a Bill is reprinted at any stage it is given a new running number.

Title | HC Bill | (session) | [number] OR title | HL Bill | (session) | number

Footnote and bibliography: 

In the bibliography, list bills in alphabetical order under the heading Secondary Sources.

Copied from 2.4.5 OSCOLA 4th edn. 

Where there is no relevant advice elsewhere in OSCOLA, follow the general principles for secondary sources when citing websites and blogs. If there is no author identified, and it is appropriate to cite an anonymous source, begin the citation with the title in the usual way. If there is no date of publication on the website, give only the date of access.

Author, 'Web page title' ( Website in Italics , Full Date) <URL> accessed Date

See OSCOLA 4th edn 3.4.8 for more details. 

Book (translated to English)

If you read a book that was translated from another language (eg, you read an English translation of a book orginally written in German), cite the translation:

If there is an author and translator, reference as follows:

See 3.2.2  OSCOLA 4th ed. for more details. 

Book (read in another language)

If you read a book in a language other than English (eg, you read a book written in German), cite the primary source in the original language:

Footnote:  

Bibliography:  

See 1.4 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details. 

Book review

Cite a book review in the same way as a journal article, but without the quote marks. For example,

Copied from  OSCOLA FAQs

Command paper

The abbreviation preceding a command paper number depends on the year of publication:

1833–69 (C (1stseries)) 1870–99 (C (2nd series)) 1900–18 (Cd) 1919–56 (Cmd) 1957–86 (Cmnd) 1986– (Cm)

Footnotes and bibliography:

In the bibliography, list Command Papers alphabetically by author in Secondary Sources. 

For more details see 3.4.3 OSCOLA 4th ed. 

Conference papers

See 3.4.6 OSCOLA 4th ed. for more details. 

Dictionary (hard copy)

Dictionary (online).

Also consider elements of the style advice for websites and blogs (section 3.4.8).

For the OED online, open the full entry for the word, and click on the Cite button (top right above the definition). Follow that example, tidying it up to make it consistent with OSCOLA styles (eg, change double quotes to single and full stops to commas, removing those that are unnecessary; change OED Online to italics; change Oxford University Press to OUP and put it before the date; and remove http:// from the web address and delete any text after the Entry number, then put angle brackets around the url):

For other online dictionaries, follow the general advice above. You need a date of publication or at least a date of access (ie when you looked at it), as they are generally updated regularly.

Copied from  OSCOLA FAQs. 

When citing personal communications, such as emails and letters, give the author and recipient of the communication, and the date. If you are yourself the author or recipient of the communication, say ‘from author’ or ‘to author’ as appropriate.

See 3.4.11 OSCOLA 4th edn for more details

Encyclopedia

Cite as a book but exclude author or editor and publisher. Include the edition and year. Pinpoints such as volumes and page numbers come after the publication information.

If citing an online encyclopedia, give the URL and date of access:

See OSCOLA 4th edn 3.2.6 for more details. 

Entry in a reference book

List in the bibliography in alphabetical order under Secondary Sources. 

European Court of Justice case

European union regulation, hansard & parliamentary reports.

There are three series of Hansard, one reporting debates on the floor of the House of Commons, one debates in the House of Lords, and one debates in the Public Bill committees of the House of Commons, which replaced standing committees in 2007. When referring to the first two series, cite the House abbreviation (HL or HC), followed by ‘Deb’, then the full date, the volume and the column. Use ‘col’ or ‘cols’ for column(s). In the House of Commons, written answers are indicated by the suffix ‘W’ after the column number; in the House of Lords, they are indicated by the prefix ‘WA’ before the column number.

HL Deb OR HC Deb | date, | volume, | column

See 3.4.2 OSCOLA 4th ed. for more details. 

When citing an interview you conducted yourself, give the name, position and institution (as relevant) of the interviewee, and the location and full date of the interview. If the interview was conducted by someone else, the interviewer’s name should appear at the beginning of the citation.

See 3.4.10 OSCOLA 4th ed. for more details. 

Footnote and bibliography:

Newspaper article

When citing newspaper articles, give the author, the title, the name of the newspaper in italics and then in brackets the city of publication and the date. Some newspapers have ‘The’ in the title and some do not. If known, give the number of the page on which the article was published, after the brackets. If the newspaper is divided into sections, and the page numbering begins afresh in each section, put the section name in roman before the page number, with a space but no comma between the two. If the reference is to an editorial, cite the author as ‘Editorial’. If the article is sourced from the web and there is no page number available, provide the web address and date of access.

List under Secondary Sources

Copied from OSCOLA 4th edn 3.4.9 

The general principles for ‘other secondary sources’ (OSCOLA 4th ed. 3.4.1) suggest the following form for citing podcasts, YouTube videos and similar sources:

Author, ‘Title’ (publication date) <url> accessed xx month 2014

If there is no clear author, give the organisation providing the source as the author. The examples below include a suggestion for citing the comments of a particular person.

If referring to comments by someone in particular, add that information as you would a pinpoint, before the url. Include the person's position if relevant. For example:

Another alternative, particularly if the podcast is quite long, would be to provide the minutes and seconds of the excerpt:

Copied from  OSCOLA FAQs 

Public communication

Author, 'Title' (additional information, publisher year)

Examples taken from  OSCOLA FAQs

List by author in Secondary Sources 

Radio programme

Footnote: Speaker (if a direct quote)/Presenter, 'Title of the programme' (Radio station, date of the programme)

Enter in alphabetical order in the Secondary Sources. If there is a direct quote/speaker, reverse the author's name as usual.

Use this format:

Author, 'Title' (Additonal information, edition if later than first, Publisher day Month year if available) page number if required.

Footnotes: 

Bibliography : 

List alphabetically in author order in secondary sources, giving the authors surname first.

Republished source

Author,  Title of book  (First published publication year, Edition if late than first, publisher, publication year) page if required.

Television programme

Footnote:  Use the following format: Main contributor [Role of main contributor],'Title of programme' [Television series episode] in Title of series (Additional information if required, Publisher, Year )

If you wish to refer to someone speaking during the programme, follow this format: Cite the name of the speaker (if a direct quote), the title of the programme, the radio station and the date of the programme. If there is no obvious author/speaker, begin the citation with the title of the programme. If available online, include the URL and date of access. For example:

List under Secondary Sources in alphabetical order

When citing an unpublished thesis, give the author, the title and then in brackets the type of thesis, university and year of completion.

Copied from 3.4.7 OSCOLA 4th edn.

United Nations Court of Human Rights

If the information is available in print, reference the print version. If only available on the web, reference as follows: 

Footnote and Bibliography:

In the bibliography, list in Secondary Sources.

YouTube video

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Referencing guide at the University of Manchester: OSCOLA

• Harvard Manchester
• American Psychological Association APA
• Modern Humanities Research Association MHRA
• Referencing Software
• EndNote online

The information contained within these pages is intended as a general referencing guideline.

Please check with your supervisor to ensure that you are following the specific guidelines required by your school.

What is OSCOLA?

The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) is designed to facilitate accurate citation of authorities, legislation, and other legal materials. It is widely used in law schools and by journal and book publishers in the UK and beyond.

Nota bene: This is a footnote style of referencing.

OSCOLA is edited by the Oxford Law Faculty, in consultation with the OSCOLA Editorial Advisory Board.

The information detailed within this webpage is based on the Book:

When referencing at Manchester

Whenever you paraphrase or quote a source or use the ideas of another person, you need to cite the source of the material.

• Insert a footnote marker after the full stop at the end of the sentence or after the word or phrase to which it relates to.
• At the bottom of the page, note the footnote number and give the full citation.
• End the footnote with a full stop.

Number your footnotes continuously through your document, starting at 1.

It is vital to acknowledge your sources, both to improve the quality of your essay and to avoid plagiarism (discussed in more detail in the essay writing guide).

Bibliography

At the end of your essay there should be a bibliography listing the materials that you have used. Different types of source (books, articles, cases, etc) should be in separate sections.

Books and articles should be listed in alphabetical order according to the surname of the author; cases should be given alphabetically according to the name of the first named party; other materials should be presented alphabetically by title. In addition to the bibliography, you should refer to your sources in your essay itself.

Different disciplines have different traditions as to how sources are referenced, both in your bibliography and in your essay. Below are suggestions for law subjects.

For law subjects a suitable referencing system is the Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA). Produced by the Faculty of Law in Oxford, this is used in many law schools in the United Kingdom and by some law publishers

In your essay

Use footnotes to give details of your sources and not at the end of your work.

You should use the format that you would use in your bibliography; it is unnecessary to put “See” before the citation. However, you will need to add “pinpoints” to indicate the relevant page(s) or paragraph(s) of the book, article, case, etc. that contains the relevant discussion. In OSCOLA specific pages are referred to by giving the page number (without any “page”or “p” before it), while paragraphs are denoted by using square brackets (without any“ para”).

OSCOLA Primary sources

Do not use full stops in abbreviations. Separate citations with a semi-colon.

The following provide examples of how you reference primary sources.

Give the party names, followed by the neutral citation, followed by the Law Reports citation (eg AC, Ch, QB). If there is no neutral citation, give the Law Reports citation followed by the court in brackets. If the  case  is  not  reported  in  the  Law  Reports,  cite  the  All ER or the WLR, or failing that a specialist report.

Corr v IBC Vehicles Ltd [2008] UKHL 13, [2008] 1 AC 884

R (Roberts) v Parole Board [2004] EWCA Civ 1031, [2005] QB 410

Page v Smith [1996] AC 155 (HL)

When   pinpointing,   give   paragraph   numbers   in square brackets at the end of the citation.  If the judgment has no paragraph numbers, provide the page number pinpoint after the court.

Callery v Gray [2001] EWCA Civ 1117, [2001] 1 WLR 2112 [42], [45]

Bunt v Tilley [2006] EWHC 407 (QB), [2006] 3 All ER 336 [1]–[37]

R v Leeds County Court , ex p Morris [1990] QB 523 (QB) 530–31

If citing a particular judge:

Arscott v The Coal Authority [2004] EWCA Civ 892, [2005] Env LR 6 [27] (Laws LJ)

Statutes and statutory instruments

Act of Supremacy 1558

Human Rights Act 1998, s 15(1)(b)

Penalties for Disorderly Behaviour (Amendment of Minimum Age) Order 2004, SI 2004/3166

EU legislation and cases

Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union [2008] OJ C115/13

Council Regulation (EC) 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (EC Merger Regulation) [2004] OJ L24/1, art 5

Case C–176/03 Commission v Council [2005] ECR I–7879, paras 47–48

European Court of Human Rights

Omojudi v UK (2009) 51 EHRR 10

Osman v UK ECHR 1998–VIII 3124

Balogh v Hungary App no 47940/99 (ECHR, 20 July 2004)

Simpson v UK (1989) 64 DR 188

OSCOLA Secondary sources

This guide provides you with examples of how to cite references correctly in the text of your assignments.

OSCOLA does not purport to be comprehensive, but gives rules and examples for the main UK legal primary sources, and for many types of secondary sources. As far as possible, the guidelines in OSCOLA are based on common practice in UK legal citation, but with a minimum of punctuation. When citing materials not mentioned in OSCOLA, use the general principles in OSCOLA as a guide, and try to maintain consistency.

The following provide examples of how you reference secondary sources.

Give  the  author’s  name  in  the  same  form  as  in  the  publication,   except   in   bibliographies,   where   you   should   give   only   the   surname   followed   by   the   initial(s).  Give  relevant  information  about  editions,  translators  and  so  forth  before  the  publisher,  and  give  page  numbers  at  the  end  of  the  citation,  after  the brackets.

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (first published 1651, Penguin 1985) 268

Gareth Jones, Goff and Jones: The Law of Restitution (1st supp, 7th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2009)

K Zweigert and H Kötz, An Introduction to Comparative Law (Tony Weir tr, 3rd edn, OUP 1998)

Chapter of edited book

Francis Rose, ‘The Evolution of the Species’ in Andrew Burrows and Alan Rodger (eds), Mapping the Law: Essays in Memory of Peter Birks (OUP 2006

Encyclopaedias

Halsbury’s Laws (5th edn, 2010) vol 57, para 53

Journal articles

Paul Craig, ‘Theory, “Pure Theory” and Values in Public Law’ [2005] PL 440

When pinpointing, put a comma between the first page of the article and the page pinpoint.

JAG Griffith, ‘The Common Law and the Political

Constitution’ (2001) 117 LQR 42, 64

Online journal

Graham Greenleaf, ‘The Global Development of Free Access to Legal Information’ (2010) 1(1) EJLT < https://ejlt.org//article/view/17 > accessed 27 July 2010

Command papers and Law Commission report

Department for International Development, Eliminating World Poverty: Building our Common Future (White Paper, Cm 7656, 2009) ch 5 Law Commission, Reforming Bribery (Law Com No 313, 2008) paras .12–3.17

Websites and blogs

Sarah Cole, ‘Virtual Friend Fires Employee’ ( Naked Law , 1 May 2009) www.nakedlaw.com/2009/05/index.html  accessed 19 November 2009

Newspaper articles

Jane Croft, ‘Supreme Court Warns on Quality’ Financial Times (London, 1 July 2010) 3

Reference management software & OSCOLA

• EndNote Online
• Microsoft Word

The OSCOLA style is not available in the EndNote software, But can be downloaded from this page (below).

• OSCOLA 4th Edition EndNote output styles are provided solely for use by licensed owners of EndNote and with the EndNote product.

EndNote Online is free  web-based implementation of EndNote. OSCOLA is one of the styles available when using EndNote Online.

Mendeley is a free reference manager and an academic social network . Manage your research, showcase your work, connect and collaborate with others.

OSCOLA is available as a style to download and add.

To quickly insert a footnote in word use Ctrl-Alt-F then insert your reference.

Further information

University of Oxford provide a faq section on their website supporting OSCOLA enquiries: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/oscola-faqs

Cardiff University provide a thorough tutorial for Citing the law , which will show you how to:

• Cite cases and legislation, i.e. the ‘primary’ sources of law, in the accepted way
• Refer to ‘secondary’ sources such as books, journals and government reports in your work
• Cite using OSCOLA, the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities, fourth edition

Cardiff also provide the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations : This database allows you to search for the meaning of abbreviations for English language legal publications, from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States, including those covering international and comparative law.

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What is OSCOLA referencing?

OSCOLA is the abbreviated name for Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities. It’s the style many students use for referencing authorities, legislation and other legal materials. It is widely used in law schools and by journal and book publishers both in the UK and abroad.

The fourth edition of OSCOLA is available to purchase in book stores and online, with a downloadable reference guide available from the University of Oxford, Faculty of Law website.

How to OSCOLA reference

OSCOLA invites you to follow two “golden rules” when citing legal authorities. The first is consistency and the second is consideration for the reader. Legal writing is considered more persuasive when you refer to legal matters in a clear, consistent and familiar way. An integral part of this is having an easy way of identifying your sources.

OSCOLA does not use endnotes or in-text citations. Instead, all citations appear as footnotes. Longer works such as books and theses also include citations in tables of cases and legislation, as well as bibliographies.

Cite This For Me’s OSCOLA citation generator takes the hassle out of law referencing by providing you with the Oxford standard for the citation of legal authorities within seconds. Simply use the Cite This For Me mobile app or online tool and have the whole thing done for you quickly, accurately and consistently.

Popular OSCOLA style Citation Examples

How to cite a book in oscola style.

Use the following template to cite a book using the OSCOLA citation style.

Reference List

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

How to cite a Journal in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a journal using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite Film or Movie in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a film or movie using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an Online image or video in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an online image or video using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Website in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a website using the OSCOLA citation style.

Additional OSCOLA style Citation Examples

How to cite a blog in oscola style.

Use the following template to cite a blog using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Court case in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a court case using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Dictionary entry in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a dictionary entry using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an E-book or PDF in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an e-book or pdf using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an Edited book in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an edited book using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an Email in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an email using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an Encyclopedia article in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an encyclopedia article using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite an Interview in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite an interview using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Magazine in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a magazine using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Newspaper in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a newspaper using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Podcast in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a podcast using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a Song in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a song using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite The Bible in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite The Bible using the OSCOLA citation style.

How to cite a TV Show in OSCOLA style

Use the following template to cite a TV Show using the OSCOLA citation style.

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Citing and referencing for Law

Oscola handbook.

• OSCOLA Tutorial
• General guidance
• Citing examples
• Further help

The OSCOLA Handbook is available online and in a print format which can be found in the Library. 

The OSCOLA Handbook (PDF) .

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• URL: https://libguides.city.ac.uk/citingandreferencinglaw

Referencing: OSCOLA (Law)

• OSCOLA (Law)
• Vancouver (NLM/PubMed)
• EndNote Online (Web) This link opens in a new window
• EndNote Desktop This link opens in a new window

This guide provides:

A video covering key principles of oscola ,, an introduction to oscola including links to official guides ,, a summary of the key features of oscola and examples of references for key types of source ,, links to additional guidance and tutorials , and, information about how to use oscola styles in endnote reference management software ., video: referencing using oscola (sign in required).

OSCOLA: the Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities 4th Edition

OSCOLA: the Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities is a well regarded and commonly used guide to legal citation.

It is not the only standard for citing legal materials and you should always check with your School or supervisor in order to confirm how you are expected to reference materials.

OSCOLA online

OSCOLA is available to download from the OSCOLA website:

• OSCOLA: The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities is designed to facilitate accurate citation of authorities, legislation, and other legal materials. more... less... The website includes a full guide and and a 'quick reference' guide as well as information about OSCOLA styles for EndNote, LaTeX, Refworks and Zotero.

Resources include the full OSCOLA guide:

• OSCOLA 4th Edition [FULL GUIDE]

and a 'quick reference' guide:

• OSCOLA Quick Reference Guide A summary of key points of OSCOLA - including useful examples.

There is also information about using OSCOLA styles with EndNote and other reference management software.

OSCOLA in the Library

You can also access printed copies in the Andersonian Library:

Examples of citing sources using OSCOLA

These are some examples of how you might cite some common legal materials using OSCOLA.

There is a brief summary of OSCOLA as a f ootnote styl e which uses minimal punctuation , followed by a description of how you can cite subsequent citations to the same source and how you should include quotations .

Then examples are given of how you might cite:

• Legislation
• Chapters in edited books
• Journal articles , and
• Web pages and blogs

However, for more complete guidance please make sure you refer to the full OSCOLA guide or the 'quick reference guide':

• OSCOLA 4th Edition [FULL Guide]
• OSCOLA Quick Reference Guide

Footnote style (OSCOLA Section 1.1)

OSCOLA is a footnote style: all citations appear in footnotes. OSCOLA does not use endnotes or in-text citations.

When citing any source, either directly (as a quotation) or indirectly (by paraphrasing or referring to ideas in a source), cite the reference in a footnote, in the style indicated in OSCOLA .

Indicate footnotes with a superscript number which should appear after any relevant punctuation in the text.

Put the footnote marker at the end of a sentence, unless for the sake of clarity it is necessary to put it directly after the word or phrase to which it relates .

Close footnotes with a full stop.

Where more than one citation is given in a single footnote reference, separate them with semi-colons.

Recent cases have raised questions about the extent of executive power and its relationship to parliamentary sovereignty. 15 However, this does not mean that...

15 Cherry v Advocate General [2019] CSIH 49, 2020 SC 37; R (on the application of Miller) v Prime Minister [2019] UKSC 41, [2020] AC 373.

Minimal punctuation

OSCOLA does not purport to be comprehensive, but gives rules and examples for the main UK legal primary sources, and for many types of secondary sources .

As far as possible, the guidelines in OSCOLA are based on common practice in UK legal citation, but with a minimum of punctuation .

This means that the use of full stops/periods and commas in a citation is kept to a minimum - they are only used when absolutely necessary for clarity. So if you see legal citations in, for example, a database which include full stops you would need to remove these to conform with the OSCOLA style:

Subsequent citations - (OSCOLA section 1.2)

If you cite a source and then cite it again later in your work, you need not cite the source in full in each subsequent citation. You can 'briefly identify the source and provide a cross-citation to the footnote in which the full citation can be found'. This cross-citation would be in the form (n 3) - where 'n' indicates 'note' and  '3' is the number of the footnote - so the reader knows to look at footnote 3 to find the full citation.

If the subsequent citation is in the footnote immediately following the full citation, you can use ‘ibid’ instead .

3 Cherry v Advocate General [2019] CSIH 49, 2020 SC 37.

4 ibid [53]–[60] (Lord Carloway).

12 Cherry (n 3).

For more detail on how to indicate subsequent citations refer to section 1.2.1 of OSCOLA 4th edn.

Quotations (OSCOLA section 1.5)

Up to three lines.

You should incorporate quotations of up to three lines into the text within single quotation marks:

Lord Carloway described this period of prorogation as 'an extraordinary length of time'. 27

Quotations within short quotations have double quotation marks round them ( "..." ).

Longer than three lines

You should present longer quotations in an indented paragraph. You should not use quotation marks (except for any quotation within a quotation, where single quotation marks should be used).

In Cherry Lord Carloway highlighted the importance of the real reason for prorogation:

At the cabinet meeting, the tenor of the PM’s remarks, and the discussion around them, point to the various factors being used publicly to deflect from the real reason for the prorogation (see Porter v Magill , Lord Scott at [2002] 2 A.C., p.506, para.144). That reason, as is reflected in the frequent references to it in the papers, centred on Brexit and not the intervention of the party conferences or the new legislative programme.

The fact that there will be some days in September and October during which Parliament will be sitting, and thus potentially some time to discuss Brexit, does not detract from the general position that the prorogation is intended unlawfully to restrict that time. The court is not dictating the days on which Parliament should sit. That is a matter for Parliament to decide. It is merely holding that a particular attempt to restrict the available days is unlawful. 29

For detailed guidance on quotations refer to section 1.5 of OSCOLA 4th edn.

Electronic sources

The general guidance is: 'If you source a publication online which is also available in hard copy, cite the hard copy version . There is no need to cite an electronic source for such a publication '. (OSCOLA section 3.1.4)

This means that if you access a report of a case, a statute, or a journal article on a database service (such as Westlaw or Lexis+) you need not indicate that you found it on that service nor need you provide the web address. The same is true for an eBook, if you can cite the book as if it were a printed book then you need not include the web address.

Cases (OSCOLA sections 2.1 - 2.3)

Scottish judgments (with neutral citation).

Anderson v Imrie [2018] CSIH 79, 2019 SC 243 

Scottish judgments (with no neutral citation available)

Drury v McGarvie 1993 SC 95 (IH)

English and Welsh judgments (with neutral citation)

Williams v Hackney LBC [2018] UKSC 37, [2019] AC 421

English and Welsh judgments (with no neutral citation available)

Lloyd v McMahon [1987] AC 625 (HL)

For an explanation of the use of brackets in traditional citations see: Brackets in traditional citations (Case Law guide) .

To cite a specific part of a judgment with numbered paragraphs (e.g. most judgments with neutral citations) include the paragraph number(s) in the footnote citations, e.g.:

Anderson v Imrie [2018] CSIH 79, 2019 SC 243 [3]

Williams v Hackney LBC [2018] UKSC 37, [2019] AC 421 [62]–[69]

To cite a specific part of a judgment with no numbered paragraphs, include the page number(s) in the footnote citations, e.g.:

Drury v McGarvie 1993 SC 95 (IH) 99

Lloyd v McMahon [1987] AC 625 (HL) 682, 685

For more detailed guidance refer to OSCOLA 4th edn sections 2.1 - 2.3. For more general guidance on understanding citations to cases see:

• Case Law: How to find and use case law: Citations to case law

Legislation (OSCOLA sections 2.4 - 2.5)

Acts of the scottish parliament.

Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 7)

Scottish Statutory Instruments

The Horse Passports (Scotland) Regulations 2005, SSI 2005/223

Children (Scotland) Act 1995

Statutory Instruments (UK)

Feed-in Tariffs Order 2012, SI 2012/2782

The details of how to refer to specific parts of legislation are covered in sections 2.4.2 and 2.5.3 of OSCOLA 4th edn. The following abbreviations are used in footnotes:

If specifying a paragraph or subsection as part of a section, use only the abbreviation for the section .

Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 7), s 28(4)(a)(i)

The Horse Passports (Scotland) Regulations 2005, SSI 2005/223, reg 13(2)

Children (Scotland) Act 1995, sch 4

Feed-in Tariffs Order 2012, SI 2012/2782, art 7(2)(a)

For more detailed guidance refer to OSCOLA 4th edn sections 2.4 - 2.5. For more general guidance on understanding citations to legislation see:

• Legislation: How to find and use legislation: Citations to legislation

Secondary sources (OSCOLA Chapter 3)

Book (authored).

Edwina Higgins and Laura Tatham, Successful Legal Writing (3rd edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2015)

*Only second and subsequent editions are usually indicated - it is not usual to include edition information if you are citing the first edition of a book.

Chapter in edited book

Mark Elliot, 'Parliamentary Sovereignty in a Changing Constitutional Landscape' in Jeffrey L Jowell and Colm O'Cinneide (eds), The Changing Constitution (9th edn, OUP 2019)

Journal article

Patrick Birkinshaw, 'Brexit's Challenge to the UK's Unwritten Constitution' (2020) 26 EPL 29

Patrick Birkinshaw, 'Brexit's Challenge to the UK's Unwritten Constitution' (2020) 26 European Public Law 29

Paul Craig, 'The Supreme Court, Prorogation and Constitutional Principle' [2020] PL 248

*year of publication, in square brackets if it identifies the volume, in round brackets if there is a separate volume number

**the volume number if there is one (include an issue number only if the page numbers begin again for each issue within a volume, in which case put the issue number in brackets immediately after the volume number)

***the name of the journal can be in full or abbreviated form - but be consistent

Web pages and blogs (OSCOLA section 3.4.8)

The general guidance in OSCOLA is: 'Where there is no relevant advice elsewhere in OSCOLA, follow the general principles for secondary sources (section 3.1) when citing websites and blogs'.

Citations of online only publications should end with the web address (or ‘url’) in angled brackets (< >), followed by the date you most recently accessed it. You should only include ‘http://’ only if the web address does not begin with ‘www’.

Paul Craig, 'Prorogation: Constitutional Principle and Law, Fact and Causation' ( UK Constitutional Law Blog , 2 September 2019) <https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2019/09/02/paul-craig-prorogation-constitutional-principle-and-law-fact-and-causation/> accessed 13 May 2020

Georgian Presidency of the Council of Europe, 'Justice Systems Must Help Children Overcome Fear and Trauma, Not Make Them Worse' ( Council of Europe ,12 May 2020) <www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/justice-systems-must-help-children-overcome-fear-and-trauma-not-make-them-worse> accessed 24 May 2020

Additional guides and tutorials on using OSCOLA

These resources from Cardiff University provide additional guidance on using OSCOLA:

• Citing the Law The Citing the Law online tutorial was devised by Information Services staff at Cardiff University.
• A - Z Referencing Examples (OSCOLA) Examples of citing and referencing sources using the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities - created by a team at Cardiff University.
• OSCOLA FAQs Frequently asked questions about OSCOLA. Includes guidance on some sources not specifically covered in OSCOLA.

OSCOLA Style for EndNote

An OSCOLA 4th Edn style is available for both EndNote (Desktop) and EndNote Online.

Selecting OSCOLA as an Output Style

Endnote (desktop).

On PCs in University IT Labs in EndNote (Desktop) you can select OSCOLA_4th_edn from the Style Manager (you may need to follow the link to 'Get More on the Web...' if the style does not appear in your list).

If you have EndNote on your own computer, you can download the OSCOLA_2_4th_edn style from the OSCOLA website.

Please see further guidance on the OSCOLA website:

• OSCOLA styles for EndNote, Latek, Refworks and Zotero These styles for Endnote, LaTeK, Refworks and Zotero are designed to help legal scholars format cases, legislation, articles and books in compliance with OSCOLA.

Endnote Online

In EndNote Online you can select either OSCOLA _4th_edn or OSCOLA _2_4th_edn from the list of bibliographic styles.

Cite While You Write

When using EndNote's Cite While You Write function in Word, because OSCOLA is a footnote style, you need to use the 'Insert Footnote' function (under the 'References' tab) before using the 'Insert Citation' option (under the ' EndNote ' tab).

Entering References

You should follow guidance on how to enter information in each reference record in EndNote. If information is not in the field required for the OSCOLA style then references may not appear in the correct form in citations or bibliographies. Guidance on how to use the style including how to enter information for each reference is available on the OSCOLA support pages:

• OSCOLA_2_4th_edn_guide (basic instructions for using the style) Please read these notes before using OSCOLA_2_4th_edn.
• OSCOLA 4th edn Notes about this style (basic instructions for using the style) OSCOLA 4th edn (for shared computers,Endnote Web /Endnote on servers etc). If you use Endnote on servers, in shared computer rooms, and/or you want to be able to use your Endnote library on computers other than your own personal computer, use this style.
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OSCOLA referencing

• Introduction to referencing
• Printing USW OSCOLA Guide and Full OSCOLA guide
• OSCOLA referencing - the basics

Including sources in your work

Direct quotations, what is secondary referencing.

• UK case law
• UK legislation
• European case law
• EU Legislation
• Official publications
• Books and eBooks
• Journals and newspapers
• Websites and Blogs
• Other jurisdictions
• International
• Tables of Cases and Legislation and Bibliography
• Common mistakes
• Example assignment

There are several ways of including sources in your work . You can summarise , paraphrase or directly quote the information. Whichever you use, you let your reader know by setting out the referencing details in a subtly different way as below.

• Summarising is briefly stating in your own words the main points of a longer text, often to give an overview of a topic. At the end of your sentence put a footnote marker and include details of the original source in the footnotes and in your Tables or Bibliography
• Paraphrasing is re-writing the statements of others in your own words often to clarify a point, rather than quoting their words exactly. At the end of your sentence put a footnote marker an  include details of the original source in the footnotes and in your Tables or Bibliography.
• Direct quotation is copying a short or long section of text, word for word, directly from a source into your work
• Direct quotes (Short)
• Direct quotes (Long)

Incorporate quotations of up to three lines into the text, within single quotation marks. Quotations within short quotations take double quotation marks:

Present quotations longer than three lines in an indented paragraph. Leave a line space either side of the indented paragraph. You do not need to use quotation marks.

 A secondary reference is when you read a text in which the author refers to the work of another and you wish to refer to that work in your assignment. This practice is  discouraged  as you should always attempt to find the original source which you can analyse and evaluate on its own terms.  If it is not possible to find the original source, reference the source that you have not personally read first by adding a "Quoted in" at the beginning; then in brackets put ‘as cited in’ and cite the secondary source that you have read including the page number.

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• Last Updated: Oct 30, 2023 4:04 PM
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Law: Referencing Using OSCOLA

• Using the Library
• Finding your reading list items using One Search
• One Search for Research
• Introduction to Academic Resources
• Law Books and Journals
• Cases, Legislation and Websites
• Referencing Using OSCOLA

OSCOLA Referencing

Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities is the accepted method for the referencing of legal materials, such as law cases, statutes and parliamentary papers, for example.  In-text citations appear as footnotes and there is a formal set of abbreviations for key sources, such as AC for Appeal Cases.

If you are studying Law at UWS you will be given guidance on the way in which you are required to use OSCOLA and you must adhere to this.

The following web site from the Faculty of Law at University of Oxford contains very useful information:

• OSCOLA 4th ed

What is referencing and why do I have to do it?

Referencing is the method we use to acknowledge the work of other authors.

It serves three principal aims:

• To support your arguments with evidence. Referencing demonstrates that your own arguments are grounded in a body of existing research and have been developed through an examination of the relevant literature.
• Referencing is an important means by which we credit other authors for any ideas, arguments, quotations, and other forms of intellectual property which are not your own. Not providing an acknowledgement for the work of others is considered plagiarism (note that plagiarism can be both intentional and unintentional). You must always provide a citation when you use another author's intellectual ideas, whether you are paraphrasing (putting it into your own words), summarising, or directly quoting from the source.
• Referencing shows the reader where they can access the original sources you have used (the evidence) to verify or fact check. It also helps the reader to carry out additional research of their own.

Please note!

Referencing is an essential, integral and accepted part of academic study and practice and must be used in the vast majority of academic assignments within all subject areas and at all levels of study.

Everyone, from Level 7 students to published academic researchers, will be required to reference throughout their academic career.

Referencing Using OSCOLA - Cite Them Right Online

The Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) is a widely recognised and widely used citation style specifically designed for legal research and writing in the United Kingdom. Here are some reasons why OSCOLA is preferred over other referencing styles in the context of legal writing:

Specialisation for Legal Sources: OSCOLA is tailored for the unique requirements of legal research, making it highly suitable for law students, legal professionals, and legal academics. It provides detailed rules for citing legal authorities, such as cases, legislation, and secondary sources, ensuring accuracy and consistency in legal writing.

UK Legal System: OSCOLA is designed to align with the legal system of the United Kingdom, including its court hierarchy, case law reporting, and parliamentary practices. This makes it the ideal choice for legal documents related to UK law.

Academic Acceptance: OSCOLA is widely accepted by UK law schools and academic institutions, and it is often the required citation style for legal research papers, theses, and dissertations. Using OSCOLA can help students meet academic standards and expectations.

Clarity and Precision: OSCOLA's clear and specific rules for citing legal sources reduce the likelihood of errors and ambiguities in legal writing. This precision is crucial in legal documents where accuracy and clarity are paramount.

Comprehensive Guidelines: OSCOLA provides comprehensive guidelines for citing a wide range of legal materials, including cases, statutes, statutory instruments, law reports, and legal journals. It also covers secondary sources, treaties, and international materials.

Regular Updates: OSCOLA is periodically updated to reflect changes in legal citation practices and technology. This ensures that it remains current and relevant to the evolving legal landscape.

Respected Standard: In the field of law, adherence to a recognised and respected citation standard like OSCOLA helps establish the credibility and professionalism of legal documents.

While OSCOLA is the preferred style for legal writing in the UK, the choice of a citation style may also depend on institutional requirements and individual preferences. However, for those working within the UK legal system, OSCOLA offers a comprehensive and specialised framework for accurate and consistent legal citations.

In Cite Them Right Online, click on Choose Your Referencing Style- and then select OSCOLA. Here you will find example of how to reference items using the Oxford University standard for the citation of legal authorities (OSCOLA) style. 

• Referencing at UWS
• Cite Them Right Online Login to Cite Them Right Online, access the Tutorial to learn about referencing, quiz yourself on your knowledge, explore multiple referencing examples and use the 'you try' feature to generate accurate references for your sources. more... less... Login with your university email and password.
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• Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 2:06 PM
• URL: https://uws-uk.libguides.com/law

OSCOLA referencing guide (Online): Working Papers

• Paraphrasing
• Repeating Citations
• Secondary Referencing

Bibliography

• Referencing Tools
• Two or Three Authors
• Four plus Authors
• Chapter in an Edited Book
• Editor or Translator
• Author & Editor or Translator
• Encyclopaedias
• Books of Authority
• Cases with Neutral Citation
• Cases without neutral citation
• Unreported Cases
• Cases before 1865
• Judges' Names
• Scot, NI & International
• Parts of Statutes
• Statutory Instruments
• Journal Articles
• Forthcoming Articles
• Working Papers
• Newspaper Articles
• Hansard & Select Committee reports
• Command Papers
• Law Commission Reports
• Official reports
• Official Publications
• Legislation
• ECJ & GC cases
• Decisions of the European Commission
• European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) cases
• Websites & Blogs
• Personal Communications
• Press Release
• Podcasts & Youtube videos
• Insight & LPC

Working papers

A working paper is   a document, still in the process of preparation, which has been publicly circulated in order to encourage debate and discussion. Reseach papers are an example of working papers.

Working papers may be available online on institution websites and on sites such as the Social Science Research Network (www.ssrn.com). 

They should be cited in a similar way to online journals.

Because the content of working papers is subject to change, the date of access is especially important.

If a working paper is later published in a journal, cite that instead of the working paper.

Example of a footnote of a working paper which has not yet been published in a journal:

John M Finnis, 'On Public Reason' (2006) Oxford Legal Studies Research Paper 1/2007, 8 <http://ssrn.com/abstract=955815> accessed 18 November 2009. 

The bibliography is the same format as the footnote except that the author's surname comes first followed by their initials and there is no full stop at the end of the citation.

Example of the bibliography  of a working paper which has not yet been published in a journal:

Finnis JM , 'On Public Reason' (2006) Oxford Legal Studies Research Paper 1/2007, 8 <http://ssrn.com/abstract=955815> accessed 18 November 2009

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• Last Updated: Mar 18, 2024 11:42 AM
• URL: https://libguides.swansea.ac.uk/oscola

Referencing Guide: Using OSCOLA

• AI: Guidance and Support for Students
• Bibliography
• Subsequent Citations
• Anonymous Sources
• Secondary Referencing
• Formatting quotations
• Further Guidance
• Last Updated: Mar 6, 2024 11:50 AM
• URL: https://law-uk.libguides.com/referencing

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