This document provides an introduction to OSCOLA referencing style. It outlines the intended learning outcomes which are to understand footnote referencing of both primary and secondary legal sources. It explains the basic rules and components of OSCOLA referencing for various sources like books, journal articles, legislation, and case law. It provides examples of how to format footnotes and structure a bibliography according to OSCOLA. It also covers topics like quotations, subsequent citations using short forms and ibid, abbreviations and inserting footnotes in Word.

1. Introduction to OSCOLA referencing
Jackie Hanes, Learning & Teaching Services Librarian

2. Intended learning outcomes
• Find the OSCOLA referencing guides;
• Understand a footnote referencing style;
• Reference primary and secondary legal sources:
– Books, journal articles and webpages
– UK legislation and case law
– For both footnotes and bibliography
• Reference pages numbers for direct quotations
• Use short forms and ibids for subsequent citations
• Create a bibliography and table of authorities

3. OSCOLA
Oxford University
Standard for the
Citation
Of
Legal
Authorities
https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/research-subject-
groups/publications/oscola

4. Golden rules of OSCOLA
• 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;
• When citing materials not mentioned in
OSCOLA, use the general principles … as a
guide, and try to maintain consistency.

5. Footnote referencing style
• References are indicated by a superscript
number (1, 2, 3) within the text, normally at the end
of the sentence.1
• The references are given in a corresponding
footnote at the bottom (foot) of the page.2
1. Superscript numbers are smaller and set above the
normal text.
2. Compare to endnotes: references given at the end of a
document.

6. How to insert footnotes in Word
• Insert superscript numbers (1, 2, 3) into your text
– Word > References tab > Insert Footnote.
• Add your reference to the footnote.
• Close your footnote with a full stop.

7. Quotations
• Short quotations (up to three lines of text),
should be incorporated into the text, within 'single
quotation marks‘;
• Longer quotations (over three lines of text),
should be presented in an indented paragraph,
without quotation marks.

8. Page numbers
• Page or paragraph numbers should be included
at the end of the footnote, for both direct
(quotations) or indirect (paraphrasing)
quotations;
• Page numbers should not be included in the
table of authorities or bibliography.

9. Order of author’s name
Footnote
• Firstname | Surname
– Richard Pears
Bibliography
• Surname | Initials
– Pears R

10. More than one author
Up to 3 authors
• Cite all authors
– Author 1, Author 2
and Author 3
More than 3 authors
• First author and others
– Author 1 and others

11. Books
Author, | Title of the Book | (Edition, | Publisher | Year)
Footnote:
• Lisa Webley, Legal Writing (3rd edn, Routledge 2013).
Footnote with page number:
• Lisa Webley, Legal Writing (3rd edn, Routledge 2013) 25.
Bibliography:
• Webley L, Legal Writing (3rd edn, Routledge 2013)

12. Book chapters
Author, | ‘Title of Chapter’ | in | Editor (ed), | Title of the
Book | (Edition, | Publisher | Year)
Footnote:
• Philip Handler, ‘Legal History’ in Dawn Watkins and
Mandy Burton (eds), Research Methods in Law
(Routledge 2013).
Bibliography:
• Handler P, ‘Legal History’ in Dawn Watkins and Mandy
Burton (eds), Research Methods in Law (Routledge
2013)

13. eBooks
• If the ebook provides the same page numbers as in the
printed publication, cite the ebook as if it was the printed
book;
• If the ebook has no page numbers, follow the normal
book (or edited book) citation form, including the ebook
type/edition before the publisher:
Example
• Author, | Title of the Book | (Edition | eBook edn |
Publisher | Year);

14. Journal articles
Author, | ‘Title of Article’ | [(Year)] | Volume | Abbreviation |
First Page
Footnote:
• Graham Virgo, ‘Why Study Law: the Relevance of Legal
Information’ (2011) 11 LIM 221.
Bibliography:
• Virgo G, ‘Why Study Law: the Relevance of Legal
Information’ (2011) 11 LIM 221

15. Abbreviations
• Where possible abbreviate the journal title;
• Find abbreviations with The Cardiff Index:
– http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/
• Do not use punctuation in abbreviation;
• If no abbreviation, then use the full journal title.

16. Websites
Author, | ‘Title of Webpage’ | (Title of Website, | Date) | <
URL > | accessed Date
Footnote:
• Liz Fisher, ‘Gov.UK?’ (UK Constitutional Law Association Blog,
9 May 2013) < http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2013/05/09/liz-
fisher-gov-uk/ > accessed 1 May 2015.
Bibliography:
• Fisher L, ‘Gov.UK?’ (UK Constitutional Law Association Blog,
9 May 2013) < http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2013/05/09/liz-
fisher-gov-uk/ > accessed 1 May 2015

17. Secondary referencing
• Citing a book or article that you have read about, but not
read the original work;
• Best academic practice is to obtain the original material
and cite it directly, otherwise:
• Secondary reference | (as cited in | primary reference)
– Bernard Hibbitts, ‘The Technology of Law’ (2010) 102 Law
Libr J 101 (as cited in Graham Virgo, ‘Why Study Law: the
Relevance of Legal Information’ (2011) 11 LIM 221, 225)

18. UK Cases
• Cases after 2001
– Neutral citation, Report citation
• Cases before 2001
– Report citation (Court)
• Cases before 1865
– Nominate report citation, English Report citation

19. Case citations
Neutral Citations
• [Year]
• Court
• Number
Law Report Citations
• [(Year)]
• Volume
• Law Report
• First Page
Guide to neutral citations

20. Abbreviations
• Courts and law reports should be abbreviated;
• Find abbreviations with The Cardiff Index:
– http://www.legalabbrevs.cardiff.ac.uk/
• Do not use punctuation in abbreviation.

21. Citation of legal authorities
ICLR
• The Law Reports
• Appeal Cases, Chancery, Family, Queens Bench
WLR
• Weekly Law Reports
All ER
• All England Law Reports
Law
Reports
• Other law reports
• Transcript of judgments

22. Cases after 2001 (neutral citation)
• Case Name | Neutral Citation, | Report Citation
– Lucasfilm Ltd v Ainsworth [2011] UKSC 39, [2012] 1 AC 208
• Case Name | Neutral Citation, | Report Citation, | Page
– Lucasfilm Ltd v Ainsworth [2011] UKSC 39, [2012] 1 AC 208,
210-12
• Case Name | Neutral Citation, | Report Citation, | [Para]
– Lucasfilm Ltd v Ainsworth [2011] UKSC 39, [2012] 1 AC 208 [8]

23. Cases before 2001
• Case Name | Report Citation (Court)
– Newspaper Licensing Agency Ltd v Marks & Spencer Plc
[2001] Ch 257 (CA)
• Case Name | Report Citation (Court), | Page
– Newspaper Licensing Agency Ltd v Marks & Spencer Plc
[2001] Ch 257 (CA), 260

24. Common court abbreviations
House of Lords HL
Court of Appeal CA
High Court (Queen’s Bench) QB
High Court (King’s Bench) KB
High Court (Chancery) Ch
High Court (Family) F

25. Cases before 1865
• Case Name | Nominate Report, | English Report
– Cumberland v Copeland (1862) 1 Hurl & C 194, 158 ER
856
• Case Name | Nominate Report, | English Report, | Page
– Cumberland v Copeland (1862) 1 Hurl & C 194, 158 ER
856, 858

26. Note on footnotes
• If the full case name (e.g. Lucasfilm Ltd v
Ainsworth)1 is given in the text of the essay, then
the footnote need only include the citation:
1. [2011] UKSC 39, [2012] 1 AC 208
• Remember to include the full reference in the
Table of Authorities at the end of your work.

27. UK Statutes (Acts)
• Short Title | Year
– Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
• Short Title | Year, | Section
– Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s 163

28. UK Statutory Instruments (SIs)
• Title | Year, | SI | Year/Number
– Copyright and Rights in Performances (Research,
Education, Libraries and Archives) Regulations 2014,
SI 2014/1372
• Title | Year, | SI | Year/Number, | Section
– Copyright and Rights in Performances (Research,
Education, Libraries and Archives) Regulations 2014,
SI 2014/1372, reg 3

29. Common legislation abbreviations
Section/s s/ss
Subsection/s sub-s/sub-ss
Part/s pt/pts
Schedule/s sch/schs
Regulation/s reg/regs
Rule/s r/rr
Article/s art/arts

30. Note on footnotes
• If the full details of the legislation (Title | Year |
Section) are provided in the body of your essay;
you do not need to repeat the reference in your
footnotes;
• Remember to include the full reference in the
Table of Authorities at the end of your work.

31. Subsequent citations
• Always reference material in full in the first
citation;
• Subsequent citations can be shortened, and
cross-referenced to the first (full) footnote;
• Commonly known as short forms and ibids.

32. Example of short forms and ibid
1. Richard Pears and Graham Shields, Cite Them Right:
the Essential Referencing Guide (9th edn, Palgrave
Macmillan 2013).
2. Lisa Webley, Legal Writing (3rd edn, Routledge 2013).
3. ibid 25.
4. Pears and Shields (n 1) 98.

33. Short forms (secondary sources)
For books and articles, shorten to the author’s surname,
and a cross-reference (n #) to the full footnote:
First citation
• 1 Emily Finch and Stefan Fafinski, Legal Skills (4th edn,
OUP 2013).
Short form
• Finch and Fafinski (n 1).
Short form with page number
• Finch and Fafinski (n 1) 123.

34. Short forms (case law)
For case law, shorten to the first party name, and cross-
reference (n #) to the full footnote:
First citation
• 2 Lucasfilm Ltd v Ainsworth [2011] UKSC 39, [2012] 1 AC 208.
Short form
• Lucasfilm (n 2).
Short form with page number
• Lucasfilm (n 2) 210-12.

35. Short forms (legislation)
For legislation, give a short form or abbreviation of the
legislation in brackets at the end of the full footnote:
First citation
• 3 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988).
Short form
• CDPA 1988.
Short form with section
• CDPA 1998, s 163.

36. ibid
• An abbreviation for ibidem, meaning ‘in the same place’;
• Repeat citation in immediately preceding footnote.
First citation
• 4 Emily Finch and Stefan Fafinski, Legal Skills (4th edn, OUP
2013).
Short form
• 5 ibid.
Short form with page number
• 5 ibid 123.

37. Bibliography
Tables of Authorities
• Cases
• Statutes
• Statutory Instruments
Bibliography
• Books
• Official publications
• Book chapters
• Journal articles
• Other print sources
• Internet sources
All sources arranged alphabetically

38. Speed referencing exercise
• You have 90 seconds to reference the item before you;
• Write your answer on the worksheet provided;
• After 90 seconds another item will display on screen;
• There are 6 items to be referenced in total;
• Answers will be provided at the end of the exercise.

45. Questions and contacts
• Jackie Hanes
• Subject Librarian
• librarians@le.ac.uk
• 0116 252 2055
• Book a Librarian