Citation Formats for the Oxford Referencing System

The Oxford citation system is considered one of the most thorough and complicated citation systems in that it addresses not only referencing techniques (covered under another paper), but also delineates specific citation format and handling. A major difference between Oxford and other styles that contributes to the complexity of Oxford is that citations are found in both notation materials (footnotes/endnotes) and in an annotated bibliography. When organizing citations, basic research venues (books, periodicals and Internet resources) can be quickly and easily cited by following a few simple rules.

Books

When citing materials from a book, list the author’s name (surname first, then initials), the title of the book (italicized preferred, else underlined), the name of the publisher, the place of publication, the year of publication, and then finally, the specific pages being cited. If you are citing a particular article of an anthology or encyclopedia, or a specific chapter within a book, the citation is slightly different with the title of the article or chapter (surrounded by single quotation marks) being placed between the author’s name and the title of the book. Do not forget to include a volume number after the title of the book if such applies (as with multi-volume encyclopedias).

Periodicals

When citing periodicals, the writer must list the author’s name (ibid.), title of the article (ibid.), title of the journal or periodical (italicized or underlined), the volume then issue number, the month or term or publication if applicable, the year of publication, then the pages cited. Note that in Oxford citations all pages of the article are listed.

Internet Resources

For websites, list the author’s name (if known), the name of the site, the name of the site’s host or sponsor, the date the site was created or last updated, the date the website was viewed, and finally the URL (universal resource locator) for the site. When citing a specific web page within a site, list the author’s name (if known), the title of the web page article, the name of the web site, the date of the last update, the date the web page was viewed, and of course the URL for the specific page (not the website’s URL).

Another group of potential sources are the electronic mail list and discussion groups. When citing entries on these, include the name of the author (real if known, Internet alias otherwise), the author’s identifying details (e.g. email address if known), the description of the posting, name of the list owner (as “publisher”), the date of the posting, the date the posting was viewed, and the URL of the posting (not the list or group’s homepage).

Personal Correspondences and Emails

Many citation styles overlook this important venue of information. Then citing these documents, list the author’s name, topic of the correspondence (if applicable), the date of the correspondence, and the intended receiver of the correspondence.

When the Author is Unknown

When the name of the author is missing, as may occur with a book or anthology, the name of the editor or publisher may be substituted, with the former having preference. In the case of a periodical (journal or magazine), simply drop the name and start the entry with the title of the article. On occasion you may find a resource which is credited to a particular group, rather than an individual. This should not be viewed with any stress. Simply list the group in the author’s position. You will frequently find this in cases of documents released by research groups, think tanks, and governmental agencies.

The Annotation

Under Oxford style, each citation of works actually used is supposed to include a brief description of the resource and a comment regarding its relevancy to the current work. This is known as the annotation and is typically one or occasionally two paragraphs long. Additional references and reading citations are normally not annotated, but an instructor may indicate otherwise in his or her assignment expectations.

Formatting the Bibliography

When preparing a bibliography, it is important to note that resources used in the article are not negotiable under Oxford guidelines; they must be properly documented and annotated. These represent the first section of the bibliography. The second section (generally considered optional) consists of a list of resources that were not used in the work, but that contain additional information on the topics covered by the work. The third section is considered absolutely optional. The “Additional Reading” section contains a bibliography of resources not used nor directly related to the subject of the current work, but which the author feels may be of benefit in gaining a broader understanding of the issue or environment of the current work.

Relative Referencing in Footnotes and Endnotes

Though having fallen out of favor in some segments, the use of Latin abbreviations to in citations and citation referencing has long been established has acceptable. There are several abbreviations used:

• Et al. – et alia – “and others” – This is generally used to indicate multiple authors of an information source, such as a book or journal article. Generally not used unless there are more than two authors.
• Et sup. – et supra – “and before” – Seldom used but indicates that a list or group presented includes list entries or group members previously mentioned.
• Et sub. – et subsequor – “and the following” – Used to indicate multiple pages of a lengthy article or the child pages organized under a cited source page. This is also seldom used. Oxford style prefers the citing of an entire website in such cases or the listing of all specifically cited pages in a book or periodical.
• Ibid. – ibidum – “in the same place” – Used to note when a notation references the same work as the previous notation. Can be used in combination with a page number to indicate the same source, but a different page.
• Op. Cit. – opera citato – “in the work cited” – Used with the name of a previously cited author to indicate the notation refers to a previously cited work that does not immediately precede the current notation. Op. Cit. also indicates that the information is in a different location within the work and is thus followed by a notation regarding the new page location.
• Loc. Cit. – loco citato – “in the location cited” – Similar to Op. Cit., but always refers to the same location (including page or pages) previously cited.

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