Cite legislation.gov.uk in OSCOLA
UK legislation from legislation.gov.uk is usually cited by legal authority, not as a website. Use the Act or statutory instrument title, year, and pinpoint reference such as section, regulation, schedule, or paragraph.
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OSCOLA UK Legislation Formats
Act:
Statutory Instrument:
Schedule:
OSCOLA legislation.gov.uk Examples
UK Act Section
Use s for a single section and include subsections in parentheses.
Act with Schedule
Use Sch for schedule and para for paragraph.
Statutory Instrument
Use reg for regulation and keep the SI year/number.
Multiple Sections
Use ss for multiple sections.
When the URL Matters
OSCOLA treats legislation as primary law. If you are citing the Act or statutory instrument itself, the pinpoint citation is normally enough. Add the legislation.gov.uk URL only when your module handbook explicitly asks for online source details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite legislation.gov.uk in OSCOLA?
For Acts and statutory instruments, cite the legislation itself rather than treating legislation.gov.uk as the author. Use the short title, year, and pinpoint such as section, regulation, schedule, or paragraph.
Do I include the legislation.gov.uk URL in OSCOLA?
Usually no for primary legislation. OSCOLA normally cites the legal authority directly. Add a URL only if your module asks for online source details or you are citing a specific web page rather than the Act or instrument.
How do I cite a section of an Act in OSCOLA?
Use the short title and year, followed by s for section or ss for multiple sections. Example: Human Rights Act 1998, s 3(1).
How do I cite a statutory instrument from legislation.gov.uk?
Use the title, year, SI number, and regulation or article if needed. Example: The Public Contracts Regulations 2015, SI 2015/102, reg 57.