Free Oxford Citation Generator

Generate accurate Oxford referencing footnotes and bibliography entries. Perfect for UK university students, law papers, and academic research!

Create Your Oxford Citation
Select source type and fill in the required information for footnote-bibliography style

Book Information

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Footnote Citation

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Bibliography Entry

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Oxford Referencing: Uses numbered footnotes at the bottom of each page with a full bibliography at the end. First citations are full; subsequent citations use 'ibid.' or shortened forms.

Quick Oxford Style Guide

Footnote System

Superscript Numbers: Place numbered references in your text using superscript numbers¹ after the relevant text.

Page Bottom: Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page with the corresponding number and full citation.

Numbers run sequentially throughout the document.

Bibliography Rules

Alphabetical Order: List all sources alphabetically by author surname in your bibliography.

Last, First Format: Unlike footnotes, bibliography entries begin with surname, then first name.

Use hanging indents for entries longer than one line.

Ibid. & Shortened Forms

Ibid.: Use 'ibid.' (Latin for 'in the same place') when citing the same source as the immediately preceding footnote.

Shortened Form: For subsequent citations of the same source (not immediately following), use: Author surname, Short title, page.

Example: Smith, Modern Britain, p. 45.

Oxford Citation Examples

See how Oxford referencing works for different source types

Book Citation

Footnote:

¹ John Smith, The History of Modern Britain (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024), pp. 45-67.

Bibliography:

Smith, John, The History of Modern Britain (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024).

Journal Article

Footnote:

² Jane Doe, 'Climate Change Effects on Agriculture', British Journal of Environmental Science, 45/3 (2024), pp. 123-145.

Bibliography:

Doe, Jane, 'Climate Change Effects on Agriculture', British Journal of Environmental Science, 45/3 (2024), pp. 123-145.

Website Citation

Footnote:

³ BBC News, 'Understanding Climate Change', BBC, 15 March 2024, <https://www.bbc.co.uk/climate>, accessed 30 November 2025.

Bibliography:

BBC News, 'Understanding Climate Change', BBC, 15 March 2024, <https://www.bbc.co.uk/climate>, accessed 30 November 2025.

Legal Case (OSCOLA)

Footnote:

Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL).

Table of Cases:

Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL).

Book Chapter

Footnote:

⁵ John Smith, 'The Impact of Technology', in Jane Doe (ed.), Modern Society Studies (London: Routledge, 2024), pp. 45-78.

Bibliography:

Smith, John, 'The Impact of Technology', in Jane Doe (ed.), Modern Society Studies (London: Routledge, 2024), pp. 45-78.

Thesis/Dissertation

Footnote:

⁶ John Smith, 'The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture' (unpublished DPhil thesis, University of Oxford, 2024).

Bibliography:

Smith, John, 'The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture' (unpublished DPhil thesis, University of Oxford, 2024).

Key Oxford Citation Rules
  • 1.Single Quotes: Use single quotation marks for article and chapter titles. Reserve double quotes only for quotes within quotes.
  • 2.Italics: Italicise book titles, journal names, newspaper names, and case names. Never italicise article titles.
  • 3.Commas Not Periods: Use commas between elements in footnotes. Only use a period at the very end of the footnote.
  • 4.Page Abbreviations: Use 'p.' for single page, 'pp.' for page ranges. Place after the year in parenthetical citations.
  • 5.Place Before Publisher: Format as (Place: Publisher, Year) in parentheses for books.
  • 6.Access Dates: Always include 'accessed [date]' for online sources after the URL in angle brackets.
Common Oxford Mistakes to Avoid
  • Double Quotes: Don't use double quotation marks for titles. Oxford uses single quotes.
  • Wrong Date Format: Use British date format (15 March 2024), not American (March 15, 2024).
  • Missing 'pp.': Don't forget 'p.' or 'pp.' before page numbers. Never just write bare numbers.
  • Incorrect Ibid.: Don't use 'ibid.' if intervening footnotes cite other sources. Use shortened form instead.
  • URL Format: Don't include http/https in the display. Wrap URLs in angle brackets <url>.
  • Bibliography Order: Don't list by first name. Bibliography is alphabetical by surname.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Oxford citation generator free?

Yes! Our Oxford referencing generator is 100% free with no registration required. Generate unlimited footnote and bibliography citations for all your academic papers, essays, and dissertations.

What's the difference between Oxford and Harvard referencing?

Oxford uses a footnote-bibliography system with numbered superscript references and footnotes at the page bottom. Harvard uses an author-date system with in-text citations like (Smith, 2024). Oxford is common in law, history, and some humanities; Harvard is widely used across UK universities for most subjects.

When should I use 'ibid.'?

Use 'ibid.' (meaning 'in the same place') only when citing the same source as the immediately preceding footnote. If you cite a different source in between, use the shortened form instead (Author surname, Short title, page). 'Ibid.' can include a new page number: 'ibid., p. 45'.

How do I cite legal cases in Oxford style?

Oxford style for law follows OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities). Cases are cited as: Case Name [Year] Volume Abbreviation Page (Court). For example: Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL). Case names are italicised, and cases go in a separate Table of Cases, not the bibliography.

Do I need both footnotes and a bibliography?

In most cases, yes. Oxford referencing requires numbered footnotes throughout your text AND a complete bibliography at the end listing all sources alphabetically. Some institutions may have specific requirements, so always check your assignment guidelines.

Why does Oxford use single quotes instead of double?

Oxford style follows British English conventions, which prefer single quotation marks for titles and quoted material. Double quotes are reserved for quotes within quotes. This differs from American styles like Chicago or APA, which use double quotes.

Can I use this for my UK university dissertation?

Yes! This tool follows standard Oxford referencing conventions suitable for UK university dissertations and theses. However, always check your university's specific formatting requirements as some institutions have additional guidelines. For comprehensive dissertation support with proper Oxford formatting throughout, consider our professional academic writing services.

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