The workaround to generate a list which sorts anonymous works in alpha order by title involves:
1. Creating a custom field (e.g., named “sortMLA” for this example) within the reference types. The “sortMLA” custom field will be used to hold both author names and titles of anonymous works to enable both pieces of information to be sorted simultaneously;
2. Populating the “sortMLA” custom field by a) separating your references into two Groups (e.g., named “Anonymous Sources” and “Authored Sources” for this example), b) then copying the Title and Author fields into the custom field (sortMLA); and
3. Changing the MLA output style’s bibliography Sort Order setting to sort by a) the custom field (sortMLA), b) then by Year.
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The steps are described below. Make a backup copy of your library before proceeding.
1. CREATING A CUSTOM FIELD “sortMLA” (Refer to attached image 1)
a. Go to the EndNote toolbar and select Edit > Preferences.
b. Then in the EndNote Preferences dialog box click “Reference Types”.
c. Before proceeding if you have previously modified fields in the reference table click “Export” to make a backup file of your current reference type table. The backup file enables restoring the current settings if needed later. If you have not made any modifications to the reference tables, skip this step.
d. Click the “Modify Reference Types” button which opens the Modify Reference Types dialog box.
e. For this example we’ll use the Book reference type so click the pull-down menu and select “Book”.
f. To add a custom field scroll down until you reach that section. For this example use Custom 8 and give it a name (e.g., sortMLA). (Once this process is completed the custom field will appear in the Book reference type as shown.)
g. Note that instead of modifying each reference type individually to type-in “sortMLA” in the Custom 8 cell, the change can be quickly across all the reference types by clicking “Apply To All Ref Types”. Be aware this action will over-write any field that may already occupy the Custom 8 cell.
h. Click OK to close the Book reference type. Click OK again to close the EndNote Preferences dialog box.
2. POPULATING THE “sortMLA” CUSTOM FIELD (Refer to attached image 2)
a. Create two groups which will be used to categorize your references. Go to the EndNote toolbar and select Groups > Create Group. For this example name the first group “Anonymous Sources”. Then create a second group named “Authored Sources”.
b. Sort your references by the Author column then select all the anonymous references and drag them to the “Anonymous Sources” group. Next, select all the references having authors and drag them to the “Authored Sources” group.
c. Click the “Anonymous Sources” group and select all the references within that group. Then (not shown) go to the EndNote toolbar and select tools > Change/Move/Copy Fields.
d. Click the “Move/Copy Fields” tab in the Change/Move/Copy Fields dialog box. Then select “Copy Field”; use the pull-down menus to designate From “Title” to Custom 8; select “Replace Entire Field”. Click OK and the titles of anonymous sources will be copied into the sortMLA custom field.
e. (Not shown.) for authored sources repeat steps “c” and “d” using the Authored Sources and references. However this time use the pull-down menus to designate From “Author” to Custom 8 while keeping the other settings. Click OK and the authors of authored sources will be copied into the sortMLA custom field.
3. CHANGING THE MLA OUTPUT STYLE’S BIBLIOGRAPHY SORT ORDER (Refer to attached image 3)
a. Go to the EndNote toolbar (not shown), select Edit > Output Styles > Edit MLA. Then click “Sort Order” in the bibliography section of the output style’s dialog box.
b. Click the “Other” setting to access the Sort Order dialog box. Click the pull-down menus to specify the sort by a) the Custom Field 8 (sortMLA), b) then by Year. Click OK then close the output style.
