Oriented vs. Orientated
There are cases in the English language where two words are interchangeable, and it is okay to use either. There are other times when two words are slightly different and mean very different things. Finally, there are a few times when two words are slightly different, mean the same thing, but you should still use one instead of the other. Orientated and oriented are an example of this third instance.
Oriented and orientated are past tense verbs that mean to align position (with a fixed reference point such as a compass) or to get one's bearings in a new or strange environment.
1. This formal garden is oriented/orientated so that the windows of the main house look out over it.
2. We oriented/orientated the campsite so that all of our tents faced the south.
3. Sarah felt better once she had oriented herself to where everything was on the university campus.
4. I will be more comfortable at work once I am oriented to all of the details of the job.
Both oriented and orientated can be used in these sentences. However, in common usage, oriented is preferred. The word orientated is a meaningless variation on the word, and it is most likely the result of people thinking that "orientated" is the past verb form of the noun "orientation." Instead, the verb form is oriented. Orientated is not at all common in the United States, and while it is a little more common elsewhere, it is still much less used than oriented.
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