How to Make Custom EndNote Citation Style: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're a student, researcher, or academic who needs to format their citations and bibliographies according to a specific style, you're not alone. Many institutions, departments, and professors have unique requirements that can be challenging to meet using the standard citation styles provided by EndNote. Fortunately, creating a custom citation style is possible, even if you're not an expert in XML or coding.

The first step in making a custom EndNote citation style is to determine what format your institution, department, or professor requires. If they have a specific Word-compatible XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language) file, you can use it. However, if this is not available, don't worry – there are other options.

Microsoft provides detailed instructions on creating custom citation styles for EndNote, but these guides can be overwhelming and lacking in shortcuts. That's why we've put together a simplified guide to help you create your own custom citation style from scratch.

The supplied Word XSL bibliography formats provided by EndNote range from 5,600 lines of code to over 9,300 lines for the Turabian option. It's clear that creating a custom citation style requires attention to detail and a good understanding of XML. But don't be discouraged – with some patience and persistence, you can create a custom citation style that meets your institution's or professor's requirements.

To get started, you'll need to understand what an XSL file does. In simple terms, an XSL file tells software how to present or transform data for presentation. In the context of EndNote, an XSL file dictates how citations and bibliographies should be formatted.

The first step in creating a custom citation style is to identify the elements that need to be included in your bibliography. These may include author names, publication dates, titles, journal names, volume numbers, page ranges, and more. You'll also need to consider the specific requirements for things like dated and non-dated sources, human authors versus corporate authors, and other unique formatting needs.

Once you have a clear understanding of what elements need to be included in your bibliography, you can start building your custom citation style using EndNote's XSL editor or an external XML editor. This will require some technical knowledge, but there are many online resources available to help guide you through the process.

Creating a custom citation style for EndNote may seem daunting at first, but with the right guidance and patience, it can be a manageable task. By following these steps and using the shortcuts and tips outlined in this article, you'll be well on your way to creating a custom citation style that meets your institution's or professor's requirements.

How to make custom endnote citation style