Citing sources accurately is a cornerstone of academic integrity, and interviews, whether personal conversations or published media, are no exception. While the process for citing common sources like books or journal articles is often straightforward, interviews present unique considerations. The APA 7th edition provides clear guidelines, but understanding the nuances – particularly differentiating between a "personal communication" and a "published interview" – is key.
This guide will walk you through the precise steps for citing various types of interviews in APA style, ensuring your research is credible and your citations are flawless.
Understanding the Two Main Categories of Interviews
Before diving into specific formats, it's crucial to understand how APA categorizes interviews, as this dictates whether they appear in your reference list or solely as an in-text citation.
- Personal Communications: These are interviews you conducted yourself, private emails, direct messages, informal conversations, unrecorded lectures, or any other private communication that your readers cannot retrieve. Because these sources are not publicly available or retrievable, they are not included in your reference list.
- Published or Recorded Interviews: These include interviews found in podcasts, TV or radio broadcasts, newspaper articles, magazine features, online transcripts, or any other publicly accessible and retrievable format. These sources are included in your reference list, just like any other published work.
Let's explore each category in detail.
Citing Personal Communications
When you conduct your own interview with an expert, a research participant, or anyone else, it falls under the "personal communication" umbrella.
In-Text Citation for Personal Communications
Since personal communications are not recoverable by your readers, they are only cited in the text of your paper. Do not create an entry for them in your reference list.
The format for an in-text citation is:
(First initial. Last name, personal communication, Month Day, Year)
Example:
- (A. Smith, personal communication, October 26, 2023)
When you quote or paraphrase information from a personal interview, you must include this in-text citation.
Practical Application: Let's say you interviewed Dr. Evelyn Reed, a renowned historian, on November 15, 2023, for your paper on medieval architecture.
- Paraphrasing:
Dr. Reed suggested that the resilience of Gothic cathedrals was largely due to innovative buttressing techniques (E. Reed, personal communication, November 15, 2023).
- Direct Quote:
According to Dr. Evelyn Reed, "The key to Gothic structural integrity wasn't just height, but the elegant redistribution of weight through flying buttresses" (personal communication, November 15, 2023).
Important Considerations for Personal Communications
- Permission: Always obtain explicit permission from the interviewee before citing them. If they wish to remain anonymous, discuss how you can attribute the information without revealing their identity (e.g., "A participant in the study stated...").
- Accuracy: Take meticulous notes during the interview or, with permission, record it to ensure accuracy when quoting or paraphrasing.
- Ethical Guidelines: Adhere to ethical research practices, especially when dealing with human subjects. This might involve obtaining informed consent and ensuring confidentiality.
Citing Published or Recorded Interviews
Unlike personal communications, published or recorded interviews are accessible to the public and therefore require a full entry in your reference list, in addition to in-text citations. The specific format depends on where the interview was published.
General Principles for Published Interview Citations
- Interviewee: The person being interviewed.
- Interviewer/Host: The person conducting the interview.
- Date: The date the interview was published or broadcast.
- Title: The title of the interview or the episode title.
- Source: Where the interview can be found (e.g., podcast name, TV show name, website, newspaper).
- URL: If available online.
1. Interview from a Podcast or Audio Series
Reference List Format: Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of podcast episode [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of Podcast. Production Company. URL
Example:
- In-text citation: (Doe, 2023) or Doe (2023) explained...
- Reference List Entry:
Doe, J. (2023, September 10). The future of AI in education [Audio podcast episode]. In Tech Talk Today. Innovation Media. https://www.techtalktoday.com/episode123
- When the interviewee is the focus, and the interview is the episode title:
Smith, C. (Host). (2022, April 5). Interview with Dr. Anya Sharma on climate policy [Audio podcast episode]. In Global Insights. Worldview Productions. https://globalinsights.org/anya-sharma-interview
2. Interview from a TV or Radio Broadcast
Reference List Format: Last name, F. M. (Role). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode [Television series episode]. In Title of Television Series. Production Company. URL (if available)
Example:
- In-text citation: (Johnson, 2021) or Johnson (2021) stated...
- Reference List Entry:
Johnson, R. (Host). (2021, March 12). Interview with Dr. Lena Khan on space exploration [Television series episode]. In Science Frontiers. Nova Productions.
Note: If citing a specific segment or news report, you might adapt the title to reflect that.*
3. Interview from a Website or Transcript
If you find a transcript of an interview online that is not part of a larger broadcast series (like a standalone article on a news site), treat it like a webpage or online article.
Reference List Format: Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of interview or article. Website Name. URL
Example:
- In-text citation: (Martinez, 2020) or Martinez (2020) discussed...
- Reference List Entry:
Martinez, L. (2020, January 15). Dr. Evelyn Chen on the ethics of genetic editing. BioEthics Today. https://www.bioethicstoday.com/chen-interview
4. Interview Published in a Newspaper or Magazine
If the interview is published as an article in a newspaper or magazine, treat it like any other article from that publication.
Reference List Format: Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume(issue), pages. URL (if online)
Example:
- In-text citation: (Williams, 2019) or Williams (2019) argued...
- Reference List Entry (Magazine):
Williams, S. (2019, July 1). A conversation with environmental activist, Jane Doe. Green Living Magazine, 45(3), 22-25.
- Reference List Entry (Newspaper, online):
Chen, P. (2023, May 20). Economist forecasts global recession. The Daily Ledger. https://www.thedailedger.com/economist-forecast
Essential Tips for Interview Citations
- Be Specific: Always aim to provide as much detail as possible to help your reader locate the source, especially for published interviews.
- Consistency: Maintain consistency in your citation style throughout your entire document.
- Anonymity: If your interviewee requests anonymity, respect their wishes. For personal communications, you might cite "Participant 1, personal communication, Date" in your text and explain the anonymity protocol in your methodology section. For published works, if the source itself anonymizes the interviewee, follow their lead.
- Context: Clearly introduce the interview material in your writing. Don't just drop a quote; explain who the interviewee is and why their perspective is relevant.
- Review APA Guidelines: While this guide covers common scenarios, the official APA Publication Manual (7th ed.) is the definitive source for any specific or unusual citation questions. For complex writing tasks or when you need an extra layer of assurance that your citations and overall document meet professional standards, platforms like Humanize offer expert writing, editing, and formatting services to help perfect your work.
Conclusion
Citing interviews in APA style, whether they are personal communications or publicly available works, requires careful attention to detail. By understanding the distinction between these two categories and applying the correct formatting rules, you ensure accuracy, uphold academic integrity, and allow your readers to appreciate the depth and credibility of your research. Mastering these citation techniques will strengthen your academic writing and demonstrate your commitment to scholarly rigor.