OSCOLA is the referencing style used by law students around the world. It stands for Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities.
If you are writing a law assignment and you use information that is not your own words or ideas, you need to reference where you found this information using the OSCOLA referencing style.
OSCOLA works using a footnote system, meaning that every time you quote or paraphrase, you need to insert a footnote into your work.
A footnote puts a small number after your text. You then insert the reference at the bottom of the page.
In longer works, such as a dissertation, you will also need to include a bibliography at the end of your work. Please note, there is a slight difference in how this is formatted, as explained here.
This information has been taken from the 4th edition of the full OSCOLA referencing guide, which is available to access online here: OSCOLA 4th edition.
A quick reference guide is also available here: OSCOLA Quick Reference Guide.
Meanwhile, a list of frequently asked questions is available here: OSCOLA FAQs.
