How to reference a book in OSCOLA
A book footnote in OSCOLA has 5 parts. See them labelled on an example, then build your own and copy it.
- In your essay: A footnote
- Checked 23 October 2026
Pip tip: with Peel, click the toolbar button on any page. I fill in most of this for you and flag what’s missing.
The 5 parts
Author, Title (Edition edn, Publisher Year).
, 2 · TITLEAttachment in Early Childhood (3 · EDITION2nd edn, 4 · PUBLISHERNorthgate Press5 · DATE2023).
- 2 · TitleCapital letters for the main words (Peel adds them). In italics.On the title page, with any subtitle after a colon.
- 3 · EditionWritten like this: 2nd. Then “edn”.On the title page or its back. Leave it out for a first edition.
- 4 · PublisherAs the source gives it.On the title page or the spine.
- 5 · DateThe year.On the back of the title page, by the © sign. Use the edition you read.
In your bibliography
The bibliography at the end gives the same source like this, with the surname first:
, 2 · TITLEAttachment in Early Childhood (3 · EDITION2nd edn, 4 · PUBLISHERNorthgate Press5 · DATE2023)
Two places, one source
Early bonds shape how children cope with new places.1
A footnote number, after the full stop.1 David Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
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, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
Two authors
Give both names, joined with “and”.
Amara Green and Ravi Patel, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
Four or more authors
Give the first author, then “and others”.
Amara Green and others, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
Easy to get wrong
The title not in italics
NOT QUITEDavid Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
RIGHTDavid Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023).
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: David Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023). To point to one place in it, add that at the end: David Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood (2nd edn, Northgate Press 2023) 81.
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.
Let Peel do this as you read
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These guides and Peel’s references are here to help, but they don’t replace your course’s own referencing guide: check your references against your handbook, and ask your tutor or library if you’re not sure. You’re responsible for your own work. Style names belong to their owners, who aren’t connected with Peel or KanBananza and don’t endorse them. See our terms.