Learning how to APA cite an interview correctly is essential for maintaining academic integrity and ensuring your references are accurate. The American Psychological Association (APA) style provides specific guidelines for citing personal interviews, distinguishing them from published sources to give proper credit to the original speaker. This process involves two distinct components: the in-text citation, which appears within your paper, and the reference list entry, which provides full details at the end of your work.
Understanding the Two-Part Citation System
APA format requires you to use a dual-entry system when citing interviews, which reflects the unpublished nature of this source type. Because interviews are considered personal communication, they are not included in the standard reference list at the end of your document. Instead, you must cite them solely within the text of your paper using a specific format that includes the interviewee's last name and the date of the interview. This method alerts your reader to the source without cluttering the reference list with non-recoverable data.
In-Text Citation Format
When you mention an interview in your writing, the in-text citation is straightforward and follows the logic of other personal communications. You should place the interviewee's last name and the word "personal communication" along with the exact date of the interview in parentheses at the end of the sentence. For example, if you were citing a conversation with Jane Doe that occurred on May 10, 2023, the citation would appear as (J. Doe, personal communication, May 10, 2023). This format ensures that the reader can immediately connect the idea or quote to its specific source.
Handling Published Interviews
Not all interviews fall into the category of personal communication; if the interview has been published in a book, journal, magazine, or website, you must treat it as a standard source. In these cases, the interview becomes recoverable data, and you must provide a full reference list entry instead of a personal communication citation. The exact format depends on where the interview was published, but it generally follows the structure for periodicals or books, including the interviewee's name as the author, the publication date, the title, and the source information.
Citing a Published Print Interview
For an interview found in a magazine or newspaper, you should format the reference list entry to mirror a standard article citation. Begin with the interviewee's last name, followed by their initials. Then, include the publication year in parentheses, followed by the title of the interview in sentence case and italics. Next, write the title of the periodical in italics and title case, followed by the volume number (if available) and page range. This structure ensures that readers can locate the exact physical or digital copy of the interview.
Citing Online and Television Interviews
Digital media has introduced new variations to the citation process, particularly for video or podcast interviews. When citing an interview found on a platform like YouTube or a specific podcast, you must decide whether to cite it as a personal communication or a retrievable source. If the interview is widely available and stable, you should include the URL or DOI in the reference list. The format typically includes the interviewee's name, the year, the title in italics, the phrase "Video" or "Audio" in square brackets, the platform name, and the link. This provides your reader with a direct path to the content.
Navigating Missing Information
Encountering gaps in interview details is common, and APA style offers clear solutions for these scenarios. If the interview lacks a specific date, use the abbreviation "n.d." (no date) in place of the year to maintain accuracy. Similarly, if the interviewee's name is unknown, you may use the name of the organization or group being interviewed as the author. In cases where you are directly quoting the interview and the page number is unavailable, you can use alternative markers such as paragraph numbers or timestamps to help the reader locate the specific information.
