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How to Cite an Interview: APA, MLA, and Chicago Styles

07/03/2025

Citing interviews accurately is essential for maintaining credibility and avoiding plagiarism in academic writing. Whether you are quoting an interview conducted by someone else or citing one you've conducted yourself, proper citation ensures that you give credit where it's due. This guide will walk you through how to cite interviews in three common citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago. It will also explain when and how to cite a personal interview, published interviews, and those found online or in other sources.

Citing an Interview in APA Style

APA style (7th edition) is widely used in the social sciences, and it offers specific guidelines for citing both published and personal interviews.

Published Interview

When citing a published interview, such as one found in a newspaper, magazine, or online publication, the interviewer's name is used in the reference entry, and the interviewee is acknowledged in the narrative of your writing.

APA format for a published interview:

  • Reference entry:
    Allardice, L. (2021, February 20). Kazuo Ishiguro: "AI, gene-editing, big data … I worry we are not in control of these things anymore." The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/20/kazuo-ishiguro-klara-and-the-sun-interview
  • In-text citation:
    (Allardice, 2021)

Example in-text citation: Ishiguro argues that "the nature of capitalism itself is changing its model" (Allardice, 2021).

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews are ones you've conducted yourself as part of your research. APA does not require reference entries for personal interviews, as they are considered non-recoverable sources. Instead, personal interviews are cited only in-text as personal communications.

APA format for personal interviews:

  • In-text citation:
    (J. Smith, personal communication, May 17, 2021)

Participant Interviews

If the interview was conducted as part of a research project, you do not need to cite it formally in the reference list. You simply indicate that the information is coming from a research participant and keep their name confidential (if required).

Example: "Mary," a participant in the study, explained how breathing exercises improved her sleep quality (see Appendix A for full interview transcripts).

Citing an Interview in MLA Style

MLA style is commonly used in the humanities and focuses on authorship, so the citation format differs slightly from APA. In MLA, the interviewee's name is listed first, followed by the interviewer's name. If the interview is unpublished, you include the date and the type of interview.

Published Interview

When citing a published interview, MLA suggests placing the interviewee's name first, followed by the interviewer's name and publication details.

MLA format for a published interview:

  • Works Cited entry:
    Ishiguro, Kazuo. "Kazuo Ishiguro: 'AI, Gene-Editing, Big Data … I Worry We Are Not in Control of These Things Anymore.'" Interview by Lisa Allardice. The Guardian, 20 Feb. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/20/kazuo-ishiguro-klara-and-the-sun-interview.
  • In-text citation:
    (Ishiguro)

In-Person Interview

For an in-person interview, include the name of the interviewee, the word "Interview," and the interviewer's name, followed by the date.

MLA format for in-person interview:

  • Works Cited entry:
    Smith, Emma. Interview. Conducted by Jack Caulfield, 31 Mar. 2021.
  • In-text citation:
    (Smith)

Citing an Interview in Chicago Style

Chicago style is popular in history and other humanities fields and is flexible in how it handles citations. It offers two systems: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. Here, we'll focus on the Notes and Bibliography system, which is commonly used for interviews.

Published Interview

When citing a published interview, Chicago places the interviewee in the author position, followed by the interviewer's name.

Chicago format for a published interview:

  • Bibliography entry:
    Ishiguro, Kazuo. "Kazuo Ishiguro: 'AI, Gene-Editing, Big Data … I Worry We Are Not in Control of These Things Anymore.'" Interview by Lisa Allardice. Guardian, February 20, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/20/kazuo-ishiguro-klara-and-the-sun-interview.
  • Footnote citation:
    1. "Kazuo Ishiguro: 'AI, Gene-Editing, Big Data,'" interview by Lisa Allardice, Guardian, February 20, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/feb/20/kazuo-ishiguro-klara-and-the-sun-interview.

Personal Interview

For personal interviews, Chicago style recommends citing them in footnotes without including them in the bibliography.

Chicago format for a personal interview:

  • Footnote citation:
    2. Emma Smith, interview by author, March 31, 2021.

Citing an Interview Found in Different Media

Online Interviews

Citing online interviews, such as those found in videos, blogs, or online articles, follows a similar pattern across all three citation styles but requires specific details like the platform or website used.

APA citation for online interviews:

  • Reference entry:
    MacInnes, P. (2021, August 24). Ellie Simmonds: 'I've found the expectations harder as I've got older.' The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/24/ellie-simmonds-expectations-tokyo-paralympics-interview
  • In-text citation:
    (MacInnes, 2021)

MLA citation for online interviews:

  • Works Cited entry:
    Simmonds, Ellie. "Ellie Simmonds: 'I've Found the Expectations Harder.'" Interview by Peter MacInnes. The Guardian, 24 Aug. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/24/ellie-simmonds-expectations-tokyo-paralympics-interview.
  • In-text citation:
    (Simmonds)

Chicago citation for online interviews:

  • Bibliography entry:
    Simmonds, Ellie. "Ellie Simmonds: 'I've Found the Expectations Harder.'" Interview by Peter MacInnes. Guardian, August 24, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/24/ellie-simmonds-expectations-tokyo-paralympics-interview.
  • Footnote citation:
    1. Ellie Simmonds, "Ellie Simmonds: 'I've Found the Expectations Harder,'" interview by Peter MacInnes, Guardian, August 24, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/24/ellie-simmonds-expectations-tokyo-paralympics-interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are the main elements of an interview citation?

    • An interview citation generally includes the name of the interviewee, the title of the interview (if available), the name of the interviewer, the publication date, and the source (e.g., newspaper, magazine, website, or book).

  2. How do I cite an interview without a title?

    • If an interview lacks a title, use a brief description of the content in place of the title. For example, you can write "Interview with [Name]" or "Personal Interview" depending on the context.

  3. Can I cite a personal interview in my reference list?

    • In APA style, personal interviews are not included in the reference list. They are only cited in the text as "personal communication." MLA and Chicago styles also don't require reference list entries for personal interviews if they were not published.

  4. Which citation style should I use for an interview?

    • The citation style you use depends on your academic discipline or institutional requirements. APA is common in the social sciences, MLA is used in the humanities, and Chicago is often employed in history and some other disciplines.

  5. How do I cite a published interview from an online video platform?

    • For interviews published on platforms like YouTube, follow the citation style for online videos. Include the uploader's name, interview title, the platform, the date of publication, and the URL for the video.
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