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EndNote 20 for Windows

Step-by-step guidance on using the most popular functions of EndNote 20 on PC

Intro: Why APA 7th Style needs modifying

Current issues with EndNote's default APA Style

The default APA Style in EndNote is not fully accurate.

If you have been using the APA Style in EndNote, you might have noticed the following:

  • It will insert the database URL of a journal article or other scholarly source in the reference list -  even though, most of the time, you would not put the link. In APA, the default is to include the doi. You only include the URL to a scholarly source if it is freely accessible to the public, i.e., does not require one to log in, or if is of limited distribution - see this page in the Libraries' APA Guide for more information.

  • It will often insert the bracketed word: [article], even though, most of the time, you would not include that. The only time you need to include [Article] is if you are citing a journal article with an article number. You would include the number after the article and get rid of the square brackets. See how to cite an eJournal article with Article Number or eLocator in our APA Guide for more information.

Furthermore:

  • You often need to change the case, which is tedious - Because articles tend to be in the wrong case in GALILEO and other databases - you often need to change the case.
  • If you need to change the order of your in-text citations in your Word document - for example, if you wanted to emphasize one work over related works, or if you wanted to cite a source within another source, then it won’t work because of a particular setting. 

This page will instruct you on how to modify APA 7th style to resolve these issues.

How to modify EndNote's APA Style

Firstly, make sure you are in the editing mode of APA Style. From the top menu, select Tools > Output Styles > "Edit APA 7th". A dialog box to modify the style should open.

To change the setting so that APA won't display the database URL for journal articles:

 

  1. Under the Bibliography setting, select Field Substitutions.

 

  1. De-select “If the DOI field is empty, use: URL.” That way, APA won’t insert the URL if you have no DOI.

 

  1. Now, move on to tab 2) Change the default case.

 

To change the setting so that APA won't display the database URL for journal articles:

  1. Under the Bibliography setting, select Title Capitalization (it is the last option).

 

  1. Change the default to Sentence style capitalization. 

 

  1. Now, move on to Tab 3) Change the order of citing in-text.

 

To change the setting so that APA will change the order of your in-text citations in your Word document:

  1. Go to Tools > Output Styles > Edit “APA 7th.

This will open up a dialog box.  In the left-hand panel are a lot of settings you can configure.

  1. Under Citations > Sort Order. Change to “Don’t sort.”

This will allow you to change the order of your in-text citations in your Word document if you need to.

Save your new and improved style!

  1. Save all of your changes by going to File > Save As.. give it a name, e.g. APA 7th modified > Save. Exit out of Output Style Manager.

 

  1. Add your new APA Style to your shortlist.  Tools > Output Styles > Open Style Manager > look for your style. Select it. Close Style Manager.

 

  1. Make the modified style the new default. Go to Tools > Output Styles > Select APA 7th modified.