How do I cite a book in OSCOLA?

To cite a book in OSCOLA (4th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the OSCOLA format for a book citation?

The OSCOLA format for a book is: Okafor A, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019)

What does the in-text citation look like for a book in OSCOLA?

In OSCOLA, the in-text citation for the example above is Amara Okafor, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019).

How to Cite a Book in OSCOLA (4th edition)

Learn how to cite printed and electronic books in OSCOLA format (4th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

OSCOLA Bibliography Format

Here is the standard OSCOLA format for citing a book in your bibliography:

OSCOLA Example for a Book

A complete OSCOLA reference for a book, formatted by the official OSCOLA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Okafor A, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019)

Matching in-text citation: Amara Okafor, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019).

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the OSCOLA (4th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match OSCOLA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: oscola.csl

Metadata to collect

author or editor
book title
edition
publisher
publication year
ISBN

Common metadata traps

Match the ISBN and year to the edition you actually used.
Do not cite the whole book when your source is a chapter by another author.

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a book in OSCOLA?: To cite a book in OSCOLA (4th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the OSCOLA format for a book citation?: The OSCOLA format for a book is: Okafor A, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019)
What does the in-text citation look like for a book in OSCOLA?: In OSCOLA, the in-text citation for the example above is Amara Okafor, The Craft of Research Writing (2nd ed, University Press 2019).