How to reference a journal article in OSCOLA
An article footnote in OSCOLA has 6 parts. See them labelled on an example, then build your own and copy it.
- In your essay: A footnote
- Checked 23 October 2026
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The 6 parts
Author, ‘Title’ (Year) Volume Journal Pages.
, 2 · TITLE‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’3 · DATE(2024)4 · VOLUME125 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health6 · PAGES41.
- 2 · TitleCapital letters for the main words (Peel adds them). In single quotation marks.The article’s own title, with any subtitle.
- 3 · DateThe year. In round brackets.The year of the issue, on the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 4 · VolumeThe number.On the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 5 · JournalAs the source gives it.The journal’s full name, from its cover or website.
- 6 · PagesThe first page only.The first and last page of the article.
In your bibliography
The bibliography at the end gives the same source like this, with the surname first:
, 2 · TITLE‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’3 · DATE(2024)4 · VOLUME125 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health6 · PAGES41
Two places, one source
Students who slept more did better in their exams.1
A footnote number, after the full stop.1 Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41.
The footnote gives the full details, at the bottom of the page.Build your footnote
Fill in what you have. Anything still missing is highlighted. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What if…
Made by an organisation
Give the organisation’s name where the author goes.
Riverside Media Bureau, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41.
Two authors
Give both names, joined with “and”.
Amara Green and Ravi Patel, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41.
Four or more authors
Give the first author, then “and others”.
Amara Green and others, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41.
Check your university’s version
Law schools sometimes make small changes to OSCOLA, and some have moved to the 5th edition. Your handbook always wins.
This guide follows OSCOLA, 4th edition, from the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law.
Questions
What goes in the footnote?
The first time you cite it, the footnote gives the full details: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41. To point to one place in it, add that at the end: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’ (2024) 12 Journal of Student Health 41, 45.
Is OSCOLA the same at every university?
Law schools sometimes make small changes to OSCOLA, and some have moved to the 5th edition. Your handbook always wins.
Referencing is easier as you go
KanBananza’s step-by-step guides show how to plan an assignment and keep your sources in order while you research and write, so the reference list is ready when you are.
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