The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) is the standard referencing format used by law students and anyone writing in a legal field. It allows for exact referencing of cases, journals and statutes meaning that sources can be found quickly and accurately.
HELP!!!!!
OSCOLA can be a bit daunting at first, especially if you are unused to referencing, but don’t worry, we have a lot of help available. Here are some top tips for getting to grips with OSCOLA from scratch or if you just need a refresher:
Start by going to our library guide, where you will find tips and resources to build your knowledge up.
Have a look at our OSCOLA and referencing slideshowto understand the importance of referencing and to get a brief overview of OSCOLA.
Set some time aside and work through the Citing the Law Tutorial from Cardiff University. This will show you how to cite cases, legislation and secondary sources, as well as how to identify authors and quote.
Harvard at Newcastle is the most frequently used
referencing style and if your school does not have a preferred style, it is the
one that we would recommend. This is because there is the most comprehensive
guidance available for Harvard and it is a style that can manage referencing
all types of information. Whether you are referencing a book, news
article, Instagram or market research, the Harvard at Newcastle style has got
you covered.
There are many
variations of Harvard but the one used at Newcastle can be found in Cite Them Right. Harvard uses an in-text citation (Millican, 2018, p.12)
inserted in the text, coupled with a reference list at the end of the document,
which provides the key. Cite Them Right is available as a published book to borrow from the
library and Cite Them Right Online provides the same comprehensive
guidance in a searchable interface that can be accessed anywhere online. It
includes guidance about how to reference just about every type of information
you can think of, including the more tricky online sources such as social
media.
You will find the
Harvard at Newcastle style in EndNote on campus PCs and through the
RAS, and are able to download the style from our EndNote guide if you are using it locally
on your own device. We’ve also included some useful tips and advice about
getting to grips with Harvard on our referencing guide.
There are lots of different referencing styles, but which one is right for you?
Once you start creating
citations and references, you need to consider referencing styles. There are hundreds of them out there
and each has a slightly different set of rules about how citations and
reference lists should appear in your text.
Most Newcastle University students use the Harvard at Newcastle style, but there is also Vancouver, IEEE, OSCOLA, Chicago, and many more. Your lecturers will expect you to use one specific style and all of your citations and references should conform to that style accurately and consistently; same punctuation, same capitalisation, same everything.
We have lots of help about using some of the popular referencing styles in our Managing Information guide. The Cite Them Right website is also a valuable online resource that will show you how to hit all of the right steps on your way to mastering an individual referencing style.
When walking in the snow we need the right footwear, and to keep warm, a scarf, hat, and gloves are also of great help. By doing so, we are adapting to the environment and using the right tools at the right time for the job at hand.
The same is true when adapting to academic writing where referencing is a key tool.
When you are writing a piece of work and you use someone else’s thoughts, words or ideas, you must reference them. But why do we talk about referencing so much at University, and why is it so important? Why should you bother spending time on ensuring that your references are consistent, accurate and correct?
It all comes down to why we reference in the first place:
To make your contribution clear by showing which words and ideas are yours, and which have come from your reading.
To acknowledge the work of others and to demonstrate how you have built on the knowledge that you’ve gained from your reading.
To ensure that the reader can follow up on your references for themselves.
To avoid being wrongly accused of plagiarism.
Watch our short video to find out a little more about why we should bother with referencing.
What are the key steps to a successful routine for referencing? Of all the enquiries we get in the Library, referencing is the most common.
Referencing is the acknowledgement of the sources that you use in your work. You must reference all sources that you use in your assignment, project or dissertation, including words and ideas, facts, images, videos, audio, websites, statistics, diagrams and data.
Over the next two weeks weeks we’re focusing on referencing, giving you the routine for success. As a novice, you might need a little help to understand the steps and techniques for your referencing style.
After positive feedback from a trial in 2018 we are delighted to announce we now have access to this database.
This platform is based on Birkhäuser’s architecture books, a selection of Birkhäuser manuals and additional analysis Annual updates which add new building types and more contemporary international case studies.
This resources features :
Over 6000 high quality architectural drawings/ building plans. These are mostly vector-based, drawn to scale and available for download.
2500 photos of building types
1200 case studies
Over 900 international projects
160 thematic articles providing background information on specific aspects of individual building types e.g. lighting, acoustics, urban considerations, access types or planning processes.
Types of buildings include: housing, schools, libraries, office buildings, sacred buildings, hospitals, museums, industrial complexes, infrastructure, transport and other building types.
This makes it an excellent choice for both teaching, research and understanding the practice of architectural design.
Search
options include :
Full Text
Architect
Building Types
Decade
Height
Country
Author
Urban Context
You can
also browse by grant systematic access to all content according to Building
Type, Urban Context and Morphological Type.
This is
an important resource for anyone studying building typology or writing
architectural design assignments. In nutshell a fantastic online resource
covering building types in the last 30 years.
The Search Help document from the resources explains
the database’s functions in detail. An overview of the terminology used in the
building analysis and the Search and Browse options is available as well.
To access
the database, click on the link via Library Search.
Hopefully you are feeling settled at the Walton Library and finding your way around. During your induction session you may have heard Library staff mention reading lists and STC books. This blog post breaks these terms down to help you get the most out of the Library.
What are reading
lists?
When it comes to reading lists, the clue is in the name.
They are materials your lecturer(s) have selected to help you understand your subject
– and are not necessarily books! Reading lists can contain journal articles,
websites and other media, such as podcasts and videos. The material on your
reading list is broken down into essential,
recommended or background
reading for your convenience.
Not all reading lists look the same. Some lists are divided into the above categories, and some are divided into weekly or even daily reading. Speak to your lecturer if you have a query about the content on your module’s reading list.
Where are they?
There’s more than one way to access your reading list. If you use the Medical Learning Environment (MLE), you can access your reading list from the “Reading” tab on the “Learning Materials” window. These are embedded in each Case. See below for reference:
A reading list on the Medical Learning Environment (MLE).
You can click on the items within the reading list and it’ll take you directly to Library Search, where you will be able to see the item’s location and availability.
If you use Blackboard, once you’ve logged in, you will see that the “Reading Lists” link is on the “Overview” page for each module you’re registered on. See below for reference:
The location of a module’s reading list on Blackboard.
You can also access your reading lists from the Library
homepage. Follow this
link and click the green “More information for students” button.
If you’re having a technical problem when using your reading list, email: med-reading-lists@ncl.ac.uk and we’ll investigate the problem for you.
What is the STC?
The Student Texts Collection (STC) at the Walton Library.
If you’ve been to the Walton’s service desk asking for a
stapler, you may have heard the staff directing you to the STC. STC or Student
Texts Collection is a separate room, located next to the printers and the
self-issue machine, which contains our high demand texts. Many of these will be
essential on your reading lists.
These books are available for short loan only – four hours during the day,
unless you take them out four hours before the Library closes, when you can
loan them overnight (providing you return them before 9:30AM the next weekday
and 10:30AM on weekends!)
These short loan books are perfect if you’re on the go. You can issue one before a lecture and then return it just after! They’re also ideal if you only need to use a short section of a book: you can copy up to one chapter or 10% of a book (whatever is greater) using the photocopier.
How does it work?
Just like long loan items, STC books are on Library Search. However they can’t be reserved if all the copies are out on loan. STC books need to be checked out and returned from your account using the self-issue machine in the STC room.
STC books are listed separately on Library Search.
If
you have any further queries about the STC, you might want to check out our
Library FAQs here.
Desk staff at the Walton can also be called upon to lend a hand if you’re
stuck.
Our mobile devices are great for helping us to stay in touch with friends and family, keeping us up-to-date with the latest trends and news on social media and, of course, for sharing cat videos.
However, your mobile device can also be a great tool for
learning and study, if you’ve got the right apps!
With recommendations from students in SNES, (who have been using tablets on their course for the past year) our updated Mobile Apps and Resources Guide provides a host of freely available apps and mobile friendly resources that can help you get the most from your device. It includes apps for study and productivity, creativity and design, history, languages, business, science and more.
So whether you’re just getting set up with your tablet or an
old hand looking for something new to help keep you organised with your work or
up-to-date in your subject area, our guide has something to help.
Some highlights include:
Microsoft Office Lens – this app helps you make documents or pictures of whiteboards screen readable. You can also use Office Lens to convert images to PDF, Word and PowerPoint files.
Pocket– allows you to save articles, videos and stories from any publication, page or app to read at a later time.
Trello – a useful tool that helps you to organize and prioritize your projects using boards, lists and cards.
BrowZine – a tool that allows you to access and keep up to date with key journal titles that the Library subscribes to in your subject area.
If you have any further suggestions for useful apps that we
could add to the guide, let us know at: lib-sage@ncl.ac.uk
Are you looking for critically-reviewed, synthetically-relevant and readily-applicable methods with detailed experimental procedures to support your research projects?
To start getting to the synthesis quicker, try Thieme Science of Synthesis (SOS), a full-text resource for evaluated methods in synthetic organic chemistry.
There is no need to login as you will be recognized automatically by IP address during the trial. However, you can register for a personal account by clicking on “MySoS” in order to save searches and results lists.
Click the “Training & Support” button in the top menu to find case studies, author lists and further help. There is a quick start guide and video tutorials to support you.
We would like to know how this resource supports your research, assessed work and teaching, so please send any comments to Julia Robinson, Faculty Liaison Librarian for chemistry.
