← Back to all guides

Journal Articles

Articles, the square-versus-round year, case notes, book reviews, forthcoming pieces and working papers.

The standard form

Author, quoted title, then the year — square-bracketed when it identifies the volume, round-bracketed when there is a separate volume number — then the volume, the journal abbreviation with no full stops, and the first page (r 3.3). A pinpoint follows the first page after a comma.

Author, ‘Title’ [year] Journal page. — or — Author, ‘Title’ (year) 0 Journal page.

1Paul Craig, ‘Theory, “Pure Theory” and Values in Public Law’ [2005] PL 440.
2Alison L Young, ‘In Defence of Due Deference’ (2009) 72 MLR 554.
3JAG Griffith, ‘The Common Law and the Political Constitution’ (2001) 117 LQR 42, 64.

Case notes and book reviews

A case note without its own title uses the case name, italicised, with (note) at the end (r 3.4). A book review adds (book review) (r 3.5).

1Andrew Ashworth, ‘R (Singh) v Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police’ [2006] Crim LR 441 (note).
2AG Guest, ‘An Introduction to the Law of Contract’ (1961) 24 MLR 658 (book review).

Working papers

A working paper cites like an electronic article, with its series and number; if it is later published in a journal, cite that instead (r 3.6).

1John M Finnis, ‘On “Public Reason”’ (2006) Oxford Legal Studies Research Paper 1/2007, 8 <https://perma.cc/2DG8-LUHP>.

Last reviewed 7 August 2026