APA Obscura: Citing an Interview in APA 7

Citing an interview seems like it should be one of the simpler citation tasks in APA. You talk to someone, you write down their name and the date, done. Right?

Not quite.

APA 7 treats interviews differently depending on whether your reader can access the interview. One of the biggest surprises for students is that if you conducted the interview yourself and it wasn't made publicly available, it doesn't belong in your reference list at all.

Here’s how it works.

The key distinction: Retrievable vs. nonretrievable interviews

APA's reference list exists so readers can locate the sources you used. That principle determines how interviews are cited.

• Retrievable interviews are interviews that have been published, broadcast, posted online, or otherwise made available to readers. These receive both an in-text citation and a reference list entry. The reference is formatted according to the type of source in which the interview appears (such as a newspaper article, podcast episode, YouTube video, or journal article).
• Nonretrievable interviews are interviews you conducted yourself that were never made publicly available. APA treats these as personal communications. Because your readers cannot retrieve them, they are cited only in the text and are not included in the reference list.

Confusing these two categories is one of the most common interview citation mistakes.

Personal interviews you conducted yourself

If you interviewed someone specifically for your paper—such as an expert, community member, or professional—and the interview was never published or made publicly accessible, APA treats it as a personal communication.

Personal communications appear only in the text of your paper. They do not receive a reference list entry.

The in-text citation includes:

• The person’s first and middle initials (if known)
• Last name
• The words “personal communication”
• The full date

In-text citation format

(T. A. Meldrum, personal communication, March 4, 2024)

Or in a narrative citation:

T. A. Meldrum (personal communication, March 4, 2024) described the vocalizations as “unlike anything previously recorded in the Pacific Northwest.”

No reference list entry is needed because readers cannot retrieve the interview themselves.

Published or publicly available interviews

When an interview has been published or broadcast, it should be cited according to the type of source in which it appears. APA does not have a separate reference format specifically for interviews.

Interview published in a newspaper or magazine

Treat it as a newspaper or magazine article. Reproduce the title exactly as it appears in the publication.

Paulson, K. (2023, June 14). Inside the search for Sasquatch: An interview with the researchers who won’t give up. Pacific Northwest Quarterly. https://example.com/sasquatch-interview

Interview released as a podcast episode

Treat it as a podcast episode. The author is typically the host or creator responsible for the episode, following APA's podcast citation format.

Ryder, A. (Host). (2024, February 8). Footprint analysis and field research (interview with Dr. J. Meldrum) [Audio podcast episode]. In SquatchTalk. Crypto-Media Network. https://example.com/squatchtalk

Interview published in an academic journal

Treat it as a journal article. Record the title exactly as published rather than adding descriptors such as "[Interview]" unless they are part of the original title.

Paulson, K., & Norton, S. (2022). Rethinking eyewitness accounts in Sasquatch research. Journal of Cryptozoological Studies, 18(2), 44-58. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xyz

Interview available on YouTube

Treat it as an online video. Credit the person or organization responsible for the uploaded video.

Pacific Northwest Cryptid Institute. (2023, September 22). Dr. Jeff Meldrum on fifty years of Sasquatch research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

In-text citations for published interviews

Published interviews follow the normal APA author-date citation style.

(Ryder, 2024)

If you quote a specific moment from an audio or video source, include a timestamp to help readers locate it.

(Ryder, 2024, 14:32)

Common interview citation mistakes

• Adding a reference list entry for a personal interview – personal communications belong only in the text.
• Omitting the date from a personal communication citation – the date is required because there is no reference entry for readers to consult.
• Treating a published interview as a personal communication – if readers can retrieve the interview, it should be cited as a published source.
• Assuming the interviewee is always the author – instead, identify the author according to the APA rules for the type of source you're citing. Depending on the publication, this may be a journalist, podcast host, organization, uploader, or another creator.
• Formatting every published interview the same way – APA formats references according to the publication type, not simply because the work contains an interview.

The easiest way to decide how to cite an interview is to ask one simple question: Can my reader access this interview?

If the answer is no, treat it as a personal communication and cite it only in the text.

If the answer is yes, cite it as the type of source in which it was published and include a full reference list entry.

Let PERRLA handle the reference

For published interviews, PERRLA’s reference engine supports the source types you’ll most commonly use – newspaper and magazine articles, podcast episodes, journal articles, and online videos – so the reference entry is formatted correctly automatically. For personal communications, no reference entry is needed, only the in-text citation – and PERRLA handles that, too. Try PERRLA free for 7 days, no credit card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a personal interview go in the APA reference list?

No. Personal interviews are classified as personal communications in APA 7 and are cited in the text only. Because your reader can’t access the interview, there’s no reference entry to provide.

How do you cite a personal interview in APA 7?

Include the interviewee’s initials and last name, the words “personal communication,” and the date in your in-text citation: (T. A. Meldrum, personal communication, March 4, 2024). No reference list entry is needed.

How do you cite a published interview in APA 7?

Format it according to the type of source in which it was published (such as a newspaper article, podcast episode, journal article, or YouTube video). Include a full reference list entry and a standard author-date in-text citation.

Who is the author of an interview in APA 7?

It depends on how the interview was published. APA assigns authorship according to the type of source you're citing. For example, a newspaper interview is usually authored by the journalist, a podcast episode is typically authored by the host or creator, and a YouTube interview is usually authored by the person or organization that uploaded the video. Don't assume the interviewee is automatically the author.

Can you use a timestamp in an APA interview citation?

Yes. If you’re quoting a specific moment from a recorded or broadcast interview, include a timestamp in your in-text citation: (Ryder, 2024, 14:32). Timestamps aren't required for paraphrases but may be included to help readers locate a specific part of a recording.