By default, Web API returns the service document in AtomPub format. To request JSON you can add the following header to the HTTP request:
Accept: application/json
or you can remove xml media type support at all in Global.asax
public class WebApiConfig
{
public static void Register(HttpConfiguration config)
{
var appXmlType = config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.FirstOrDefault(t => t.MediaType == "application/xml");
config.Formatters.XmlFormatter.SupportedMediaTypes.Remove(appXmlType);
}
}