OSCOLA styles for EndNote, LaTeX, Refworks and Zotero

These styles for Endnote, LaTeX, Refworks and Zotero are designed to help legal scholars format cases, legislation, articles and books in compliance with OSCOLA. For a comparison, see S Meredith, 'Critical Review of Referencing Software when used with OSCOLA' (2013) 4 (1) EJLT.

Oxford University members will find key information­ on how to get personal accounts with Refworks and EndNote (as well as other useful general comparisons between the systems) on the relevant pages of the Oxford Libguide on reference management

Endnote styles

  • The OSCOLA 2 4th edn Endnote style is for writers with Endnote versions X4 to X9 on their own computers.
  • The Basic style is for Endnote provided on servers or used on shared computers.
  • Variations of the OSCOLA 2 4th edn style for Endnote versions X4 to X9 for the LQR, CLJ, MLR and ibid and short-form free

For help, see Tips for using OSCOLA with Endnote or contact oscola@law.ox.ac.uk. Endnote OSCOLA styles are developed by the Oxford Law Faculty.

OSCOLA 2 4th edn for Endnote on personal computers

This OSCOLA 2 4th edn style has customised reference types, allowing for more precision and flexibility than the Basic/Web/Server style. It requires modification of Endnote’s ‘Reference Type Table’ (by importing the RefTypeTable.xml file into Endnote). Scholars can modify the style to make it more suitable for their own work (see the Tips page.) Instructions and files for Endnote versions X4 onwards (ie, versions with short form templates) are below.

  • If you have customised a style in EndNote (eg to match the house style of a publisher), make sure to name it and save it in EndNote, before installing OSCOLA.
  • Instructions for installing the OSCOLA 2 4th edn style
    • Note: if you have upgraded from EndNote X8 to X9 you may need to tell the new EN where to look for the OSCOLA RefTypeTable.xml. See points 2 to 5 of the RefTable section of the Instructions.
  • OSCOLA_2_4th_edn (the style file)
  • RefTypeTable.xml (this customises headings in Endnote references) 
    • on clicking the link, the file should download to your device, however this depends on your web browser. If your particular browser simply displays the raw xml in a new browser window, you should save the new page manually, or you could right-click the link above and do Save Link As..
  • OSCOLA_2_4th_edn_guide (basic instructions for using the style)
  • Tips for using the OSCOLA style for Endnote

Basic/Web/Server style for OSCOLA

Use for university servers and Endnote Basic/Web, and if you share a computer with people using Endnote styles other than OSCOLA (this style does not modify the 'Ref Type Table'). Download and save to the Endnote Styles folder (as described above). When using this style, journal citations that require the year in square brackets (such as Public Law) have to be modified when the work is finished and after the Endnote citations have been converted to plain text (see instructions file).

Variations of OSCOLA: for LQR and CLJ and without ibid/short forms

These styles should work for writers using Endnote X4 to X8 on their personal computers. Please send feedback on the styles and styles for other journals and publishers to oscola@law.ox.ac.uk. To install the styles, follow the instructions above for the OSCOLA 2 4th edn style.

LaTeX (Biblatex) style

LaTeX is a typesetting program. This package contains instructions (see the Readme document) and a shell for a thesis, which was put together by Fred Wilmot-Smith and updated in 2019 by Rory Gregson. The OSCOLA Biblatex Style for use with LaTeX was written by Paul Stanley of Essex Court Chambers.

Refworks style

The Refworks style, OSCOLA 4th Edition - Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities, can be selected via Bibliography, Output Style Manager in Refworks installations. For help contact your local Refworks administrator. The Refworks OSCOLA style wasdeveloped by Jason Harper of Kent University,

Zotero styles

Zotero has two OSCOLA styles in the Zotero Style Repository: use the first style on the list (ie, not the 'no ibid' style). Consult this sample OSCOLA library together with these examples to learn which item types and fields to use for bibliographic data. For more help see the Mastering Zotero guide, the Style Request:OSCOLA discussion forum, and the RTF/ODF Scan for using Zotero with Scrivener. This Zotero style was developed by Sebastian Karcher and others.

MLZ Zotero provides for more fine-tuned citation of cases and legislation, and it converts citations to key common law styles. For more information see the instruction book, examples, blog and twitter updates. MLZ Zotero is developed by Frank Bennett.

Last updates 27 March 2015
Amendment to RefTypeTable.xml download instructions 20 December 2017
Endnote style for Modern Law Review entry removed on 23 July 2019 (file missing since 2015)
Files for Endnote versions X3 and earlier withdrawn 23 July 2019

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