How to Cite an Interview in APA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 07/21/2025

In academic writing using APA (American Psychological Association) Style, citing an interview depends on whether the interview is personal (unpublished) or published in a source such as a magazine, book, or newspaper. Understanding this distinction is key to citing interviews accurately and appropriately.

This article outlines how to cite interviews in APA Style, focusing on personal communications and published interviews. All explanations are based on the APA 7th edition guidelines.

Personal Interviews (Unpublished Interviews)

Personal interviews are treated as personal communications in APA style. These include conversations, emails, text messages, or phone calls that are not publicly accessible. Because the reader cannot retrieve this information, such interviews are not included in the reference list. Instead, they are cited only in-text.

To cite a personal communication, provide the initials and surname of the interviewee, specify that it is a personal communication, and give the exact date of the interview. This can be done in either parenthetical or narrative format.

In-Text Citation Format

• Parenthetical citation: (First Initial. Second Initial if available. Surname, personal communication, Month Day, Year)
• Narrative citation: First Initial. Second Initial if available. Surname (personal communication, Month Day, Year)

Examples of Personal Interview Citations

Example 1: Parenthetical Citation

Active reading requires “connecting with the text through critical analysis and reflective thinking” (J. M. Roberts, personal communication, April 2, 2025).

Example 2: Narrative Citation

M. Roberts emphasized that active reading requires “connecting with the text through critical analysis and reflective thinking” (personal communication, April 2, 2025).

Example 3: Email Citation

According to D. N. Singh (personal communication, March 11, 2025), student motivation increased when online learning platforms were integrated into traditional lessons.

Published Interviews

If the interview is published in a source such as a magazine, journal, podcast, or book, then it must be included in the reference list. In this case, cite it using the format for the source in which it appears.

Magazine Example

Citation	Thomas, M. (2025, May 10). Redefining creativity in the digital age: A conversation with Lucas Han. Creative Today Magazine, 34(2), 16–19.
Structure	Surname, Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Subtitle if any. Title of Magazine, Volume(Issue), page range.

In-Text Citation

Example	(Thomas, 2025)
Structure	(Author Surname, Year)

Newspaper Example

Citation	Kaur, R. (2025, February 20). Interview with Dr. Amelia Rhodes on climate justice. The Guardian, p. A4.
Structure	Surname, Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page number(s).

In-Text Citation

Example	(Kaur, 2025)
Structure	(Author Surname, Year)

Podcast Example

Citation	Hernandez, C. (Host). (2024, November 3). Interview with Dr. Mia Nolan [Audio podcast]. Spotify. https://spotify.com/episode123
Structure	Host Surname, Initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. Platform or publisher. URL

In-Text Citation

Example	(Hernandez, 2024)
Structure	(Author Surname, Year)

Unpublished interviews (e.g., personal conversations, emails) are cited in-text only as personal communications. Do not include personal communications in the reference list. Use initials and surname of the interviewee, along with the exact date of communication. Published interviews follow standard APA citation rules based on their source type (magazine, newspaper, podcast, etc.). When the interviewee is named in the sentence, the citation format changes to narrative, and there is no need to repeat the name in parentheses.