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Law

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources (Section 3 in OSCOLA Guide)

General principles (Section 3.1 in OSCOLA Guide)
  • If a source has an ISBN, format it like a book.

  • Italicise titles of books and similar publications, including all publications with ISBNs.

  • If a source does not have an ISBN, cite it in a similar way as sources with ISBNS but with "but with the title in roman and within single quotation marks, as for journal articles." (page 39)

    • Footnote format: author, | ‘title’ | (additional information, | publisher | year)

    • Example: Yonah Diamond, ‘An Independent Legal Analysis of the Russian Federation’s Breaches of the Genocide Convention in Ukraine and the Duty to Prevent’ (New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy 2022).

  • If a source is available only online, then give the web address and the date of access as described in section 3.1.4.

  • If you source a publication online (e.g. an eBook) which is also available in hard copy, cite the hard copy version.

  • If you wish to use an abbreviated name for the source in subsequent citations, give the short form in brackets at the end of the first citation. Example: University of Oxford, Report of Commission of Inquiry (OUP 1966) vol 1, ch 3 (Franks Report)

  • When citing a government or institutional report with no individual author, you can treat the institution as the author.

  • General format of other secondary sources not listed in the subsections below, and which do not have an ISBN: Author, ‘Title’ (Additional information, Publisher Year)

Formatting names of authors:

  • Footnotes: First name Surname

    • Example: John Smith

  • Bibliography: Surname Initial of first name without a period

    • Example: Smith J