OSCOLA
OSCOLA referencing style is used when submitting work for a module for the School of Law. Due to the complexity of particular sources, some entries are very detailed. Make sure to fully read each page.
OSCOLA uses footnotes, not in-text citations as APA uses.
Example:
This essay is an assessment of the new retirement unfair dismissal regime, introduced by the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 20061 in October 2006, to implement the UK’s obligations under the age strand of the EU Framework Equal Treatment Directive.2 Already, variations of the contractual retiring age following a transfer of undertakings have been challenged in Power v Regent Security Services Ltd.3
- Footnotes should include the pinpoint reference to identify the exact page, paragraph number (for cases), section, regulation or article (for legislation) which contain the ideas you are quoting or paraphrasing.
- Paragraph numbers are enclosed in square brackets.
- If you are referring to a general argument, you may choose to refer to a journal article or book, rather than to a precise page, etc.
1 Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, SI 2006/1031 reg 2.
2 Council Directive (EC) 2000/78 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (EU Framework Equal Treatment Directive) [2000] OJ L303/16 art 3.
3 Power v Regent Security Services Ltd [2007] EWCA Civ 1188, [2008] 2 All ER 977, 987.
Multiple sources in a footnote
- When you cite more than one source in a footnote, put the sources in chronological order, with the oldest first.
- If one or more of the sources are more directly relevant than the others, cite these first, and then cite the less relevant ones in a new sentence, beginning 'See also'.
- If you are citing legislation and cases in a footnote, put the legislation before the cases, and if you are citing both primary and secondary sources in a footnote, put the primary sources before the secondary ones.
- Multiple citations in a footnote should be separated by a semi-colon.
Example:
3 Secretary of State for the Home Department v E [2007] UKHL 47, [2008] 1 All ER 699 (HL) 702; SJ Fredman, 'Equality: A New Generation?' [2001] ILJ 145, 158.