OSCOLA In-Text Citations
Master OSCOLA (4th edition) in-text citations with this complete guide. Learn the correct format for every scenario, including single and multiple authors, direct quotes, and sources with missing information.
In-Text Citation Rules
Below are the OSCOLA in-text citation rules for every common scenario you will encounter when writing your paper.
Single Author
Footnote number in superscript after punctuation — ¹ Smith v Jones [2024] UKSC 1 at [15].
Two Authors
Same footnote number style — cite both parties for cases or both authors for secondary sources
Three or More Authors
For books with 3+ authors: first author et al; for cases cite the case name normally
Direct Quote
Footnote with pinpoint reference — ¹ Smith v Jones [2024] UKSC 1 at [15] (Lord Hope).
No Author
Cite by document title, court, or institution — ¹ Law Commission, Report No 123 (2024) para 5.
No Date
Include [date unknown] or use the most recent edition information available
Quick Examples
Here are real-world OSCOLA in-text citation examples for different source types:
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Cite in OSCOLA Now →Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I format an OSCOLA in-text citation?
- For a single author in OSCOLA, use the format Footnote number in superscript after punctuation — ¹ Smith v Jones [2024] UKSC 1 at [15].. For two authors, use Same footnote number style — cite both parties for cases or both authors for secondary sources. For three or more authors, use For books with 3+ authors: first author et al; for cases cite the case name normally.
- How do I cite a direct quote in OSCOLA?
- For direct quotes in OSCOLA (4th edition), use the format: Footnote with pinpoint reference — ¹ Smith v Jones [2024] UKSC 1 at [15] (Lord Hope)..
- What if there is no author or no date in OSCOLA?
- When there is no author in OSCOLA, use: Cite by document title, court, or institution — ¹ Law Commission, Report No 123 (2024) para 5.. When there is no date, use: Include [date unknown] or use the most recent edition information available.