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OSCOLA Format Guide

Follow these OSCOLA (4th edition) paper formatting rules to ensure your document meets the required standards. This guide covers font, margins, spacing, title page, headers, and bibliography formatting.

Paper Formatting

Below are the core formatting requirements for papers written in OSCOLA (4th edition) style.

Font
12 pt Times New Roman
Font Size
12 pt
Margins
1 inch on all sides
Spacing
Double-spaced for body text; single-spaced for footnotes and bibliography
Title Page
Title, author name, module/course, tutor name, and submission date — format varies by institution
Headers / Page Numbers
Page numbers in the upper-right or bottom-center; footnote numbers are superscript in body text

Bibliography Formatting

Your bibliography must follow these rules to be correctly formatted in OSCOLA style:

  1. Divide the bibliography into: Table of Cases, Table of Legislation, and Bibliography
  2. Table of Cases: list alphabetically by case name (italicized), with full citation
  3. Table of Legislation: list statutes alphabetically, then statutory instruments
  4. Bibliography: list secondary sources alphabetically by author's surname
  5. Do not use 'ibid.' or 'op. cit.' — use short-form cross-references to earlier footnotes instead
  6. Case names are always italicized; legislation is not italicized
  7. Pinpoint references (paragraph, page, or section numbers) use 'at [X]' format

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Frequently Asked Questions

What font and size should I use for OSCOLA format?
OSCOLA (4th edition) requires 12 pt Times New Roman. The standard font size is 12 pt.
What are the margin requirements for OSCOLA?
OSCOLA papers require 1 inch on all sides. This applies to the top, bottom, left, and right margins of every page.
Does OSCOLA require a title page?
Title, author name, module/course, tutor name, and submission date — format varies by institution

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