Using angle-dependent X-ray magnetic circular dichroism we have measured magnetic hysteresis loops at the CoL 2,3 edges of oxide-doped Co 80 Pt 20 thin films. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) of the Co atoms, which is the main source of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the CoPt magnetic grains, has beendetermined directly from these element-specific hysteresis loops. When the oxide volume fraction (OVF) is increased from 16.6% to 20.7%, the Co MAE has been found to decrease from 0.117 meV/atom to 0.076 meV/atom.While a larger OVF helps to achieve a smaller grain size, it reduces the magnetocrystalline anisotropyas demonstrated unambiguously from the direct Co MAE measurements.Our results suggest that thoseCo 80 Pt 20 :oxide films with OVF between 19.1% and20.7%aresuitable candidates for high-density magnetic recording.