The Ultimate Guide to Citing Interviews in APA, MLA, and Chicago Formats

Why Are Interview Citations Important?

When working on a college assignment or presenting your own research, using primary sources that provide raw, first-hand content is of the utmost importance. Nothing beats a good old-fashioned interview for getting expert opinions and a level of detail that’s just not possible with secondary sources. But using interviews as a primary source also comes with a major caveat – you need to know how to cite them properly to avoid getting hit with a plagiarism charge and give credit where credit is due. Don’t get me wrong, figuring out the right citation format can be a real challenge – especially with all the different styles out there, like APA, MLA, and Chicago – just to name a few. But here’s the thing, learning these standards is an absolute must if you want your work to be considered credible & to be done properly. This guide is here to help you get up to speed on citing interviews in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles – so let’s get started.

The Basic APA Interview Citation Rules

Alright, so you’re working with APA format & you need to cite an interview that has come into your research. Well, things get a bit trickier here. A point worth mentioning is that there’s more than one type of interview – you’ve got those that are published and then those that aren’t, including research interviews you’ve conducted as part of your study. Here’s a quick rundown on how to handle them:

1. Published Interviews: Interviews that have been published in newspapers, on TV or radio, or in scientific journals all need to be properly cited in your reference list, just like any other source you’ve used.
2. Conducting Your Own Interviews: If you actually conducted the interview yourself, it counts as personal communication and should be cited in the text, but not included in the reference list.
3. Group Interviews: Now, interviews that were done as part of a study or group research effort don’t necessarily need to be cited in the reference list, unless the interview itself has been published.

Getting your interview citations right in APA is a must if you want to keep your work on the up and up and get the recognition it deserves. If you’re not sure, consider getting some expert help to make sure everything is just right.

APA Interview Citation Examples

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If there is no online source and it is not an interview you conducted:

If there is an online source:

When you cite a personal interview:

When quoting an interview, always consider what kind of source you are dealing with. In some cases, such as in the example above, an in-text citation is only necessary.

When you cite a speech in APA format:

How to cite an interview APA and MLA style

Incorporating interview citations in your college assignments or research papers enhances your credibility, as interviews serve as primary sources that offer valuable insights and support for your arguments. Learning how to cite an interview in MLA style is relatively straightforward, especially when you follow the basic rules.

• Interviewee’s Name: Always start with the name of the person being interviewed, both in your in-text citation and on the Works Cited page.
• Title of the Interview: If available, place the interview title in quotation marks. If there’s no title, simply use the word “interview” without quotation marks.
• Personal Conducted Interviews: If you conducted the interview, include your name and the date it was conducted.
• Published Interviews: For published interviews, include the author’s name and relevant details depending on the source type.

Although interviews in MLA can be challenging, particularly for beginners, seeking professional assistance can ensure your references are accurate and correctly formatted. In APA, interviews you conduct yourself are considered personal communication, so they are cited in-text but usually not included in the reference list.

See the examples in practice:

Image credit: Libguides

How to Cite a Personal Interview in MLA (Unpublished)

When citing an interview that you conducted yourself, start by naming the person you interviewed, followed by the word “interview.” After that, include your own name and the date the interview took place. This format clearly indicates your role in the interview and provides the necessary details for referencing. Here’s how it would look in practice:

Speaking of the in-text citations, it is sufficient to specify the last name of the person who has been interviewed, as this is what you shall cite. For an example of the MLA in-text citation interview:

Cite a Published Interview in MLA and APA format

So you’re interviewing with some expert for a legit publication – newspaper, book, even a YouTube video – and you need to cite that interview as if the interviewee themselves was the author. Start by listing the interviewee’s name, then the title of the interview, if there is one – stick it in quote marks. Now, just like you would when citing a book, article, or whatever – include all the juicy details about the source.

For in-text citations, just use the interviewee’s last name, and if available, toss in the page number or timestamp. That way, you can be sure your footnotes are rock solid & properly formatted. Even though citations for interviews can be a real pain to get right in MLA format, getting some help with your assignment can also give you a bit of peace of mind about getting it all done correctly.

Interview in an online magazine

Interview in a book

In case the author or editor of the book is the same person as the one being interviewed, leave this part out. Include the book title, the author(s), the publisher, the year of the publication, and the page(s) range.

Read also: How to Cite a Short Story in MLA Format

Interview in a journal

This type of citing will require the name of the journal along with the volume and number. Place the date or year of publication next to the range of pages. If it’s something obtainable online for your MLA interview citation, include the URL or DOI along with the name of the database.

Online video of an interview

When you are preparing that has been found online on YouTube or you wish to cite a TED talk found elsewhere as a video, you must mention the platform or the website where the interview can be seen, the name of the user who has uploaded the interview, the date when it was uploaded, and the URL. Regarding how to cite an interview MLA in text, use the timestamp to specify what part of the file you are citing.

Interview via email correspondence

Interview in-text Citation Rules

The general MLA format for an interview is to include the last name of the person that is being interviewed with the page or range of pages. For an example of the interviews citing in MLA:

How to cite an interview in Chicago style

The details required for this work can vary depending on whether the interview is published and the source where it appeared. Generally, you’ll need to include:

• Name of the interviewee;
• Heading;
• Name of the interviewer;
• Information about the channel, TV show, or publication;
• Date when the interview was done;
• Page numbers (if applicable);
• URL or DOI (if applicable).

The format may have variations, so it’s essential to consult the guidelines provided by your tutor for precise instructions.

Citing an unpublished interview

When citing unpublished interviews, such as those you conducted or accessed through archives, they should be referenced only in notes, not in the bibliography. The format and requirements can vary, so always consult your instructor’s guidelines for specific instructions.

• How to cite interviews conducted by yourself

Footnote references to your interviews should indicate the interviewee’s name, specify that you were the interviewer, and provide the location (if conducted in person) and date.

Example:

In cases where you have agreed to maintain the interviewee’s anonymity for whatever reason, write a proper description instead of their name.

Example:

Subsequent footnotes referring to the same interview should be abbreviated.

Examples:

• How to cite interviews sourced from an archive

Suppose the interview is taken from an archive, in this case, you should indicate the interviewer’s name and information about accessing the source.

Example:

How to cite personal communication

When referencing information obtained directly from an individual without a formal interview, you can quote it as personal communication within the text or in the notes, and it’s not required to include a bibliography.

Example:

Personal communications should only be quoted if they provide unique insights or information that cannot be received from other publicly available sources.

Citing a published interview

The formatting for citing an interview in Chicago style depends on the source type where the interview was found. For published interviews, the note and bibliography entry should begin with the interviewee’s name. The interviewer’s name is included after the title unless it is already mentioned in the title. Even if omitted in the note, the interviewer’s name should always be included in the bibliography entry. Below are examples of how to cite interviews from journals, videos, and magazines in Chicago style.

• Journal interview

• Video interview

• Magazine interview

How to cite an anonymous interview according to Chicago format guidelines

When citing anonymous sources in interviews, it’s acceptable to use labels like “personal communication” or “anonymous informant” without naming the source. However, when citing a speech or interview in Chicago style, it’s important to clarify within the text why the source’s identity is being withheld. This explanation ensures transparency and maintains the integrity of your citation. Citing anonymous interviews in Chicago can be tricky, but seeking assignment writing help can ensure that your citations are both accurate and properly formatted.

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