How to Cite an Interview MLA: A Comprehensive Guide

Ever tried piecing together information from a captivating interview only to realize you’re unsure how to properly credit the source? Citing sources, especially personal interviews, is a cornerstone of academic integrity and responsible research. Failing to correctly attribute information can lead to accusations of plagiarism and undermine the credibility of your work. Whether it’s a conversation with a leading expert or a firsthand account from someone with unique experiences, giving proper credit acknowledges the value of their contribution and allows your readers to verify your sources.

Mastering MLA citation for interviews ensures you’re giving credit where it’s due, maintaining academic honesty, and providing your audience with a clear path to access the original source material. This not only strengthens your argument but also positions you as a conscientious and reliable researcher. Neglecting this crucial aspect of citation can detract from the overall impact of your work and potentially damage your reputation.

What are the specific rules and formatting guidelines I need to follow when citing an interview in MLA style?

How do I cite an interview in MLA format?

To cite an interview in MLA format, you need to adapt the citation style depending on whether the interview is published (e.g., in a book, journal, or website) or unpublished (e.g., conducted by you). For a published interview, cite it like any other work from that source, emphasizing the interviewee’s name. For an unpublished interview, include the interviewee’s name, the descriptor “Personal interview,” and the date of the interview.

The key difference lies in whether the interview is accessible to others. If someone can find the interview in a published source, the citation should direct them to that source. The citation should begin with the last name of the interviewee, followed by a comma and their first name. If the interview is published within a larger work (e.g., a book), cite the interviewee, then “Interview by” followed by the interviewer’s name (if known), the title of the book, the editor, publisher, year, and page numbers. For an interview published online, provide the interviewee’s name, “Interview by” and the interviewer’s name, the title of the website, publication date (if available), and the URL. For unpublished interviews, such as those you conduct yourself, the citation is simpler. Include the interviewee’s name, followed by the phrase “Personal interview,” and the date on which the interview took place. In your Works Cited list, this will look like: Smith, John. Personal interview. 14 Feb. 2024. Remember to be ethical and obtain the interviewee’s consent before using their words in your research. In your text, you would refer to this as (Smith).

What if the interview is not published, how to cite an interview mla?

If the interview you’re citing is not published—meaning it wasn’t printed in a book, journal, website, or other publicly accessible source—you’ll treat it as a personal communication in your MLA citation. The format focuses on the interviewee’s name and the date of the interview.

When citing an unpublished interview in MLA format, it’s crucial to remember that this is considered personal communication. As such, it is cited differently from published sources. It doesn’t appear in your Works Cited list. Instead, the citation appears only in the body of your text or in a footnote. The in-text citation should include the interviewee’s name and the date of the interview. For instance: (Jane Doe, personal communication, 1 Jan. 2023). Since this is personal communication and not easily verifiable by your readers, including more context within your prose is important. Briefly introduce the interviewee and their relevance to your research before quoting or paraphrasing their insights. For example, you might write, “According to Jane Doe, lead researcher at the National Institute of Hydrology, the recent flood was exacerbated by poor urban planning (personal communication, 1 Jan. 2023).” This provides both the citation and the necessary context for the reader to understand the source’s authority.

How do I format the Works Cited entry for an interview?

To cite an interview in MLA format, include the interviewee’s name, the type of interview (personal, phone, email, etc.), the interviewer’s name (if applicable), and the date of the interview. The core format is: Last Name, First Name. “Interview Title (if applicable).” Interview by Interviewer’s Name (if applicable). Date of Interview.

The specific elements and order depend on whether the interview is published or unpublished. For a published interview (e.g., in a magazine, journal, or website), follow the format for that publication type. For example, if you found the interview on a website, cite it as you would a webpage, but include the interview title (if there is one) and indicate that it is an interview.

If the interview is one you conducted yourself and remains unpublished (e.g., a personal interview), omit the interview title and specify the type of interview. For example, if you interviewed John Doe in person, the entry would be: Doe, John. Personal Interview. 15 Aug. 2023. If the interview was conducted via email, change “Personal Interview” to “Email Interview”. It’s also important to remember to alphabetize the entry in your Works Cited according to the interviewee’s last name.

What details are needed when citing an interview MLA?

When citing an interview in MLA style, you need to include the interviewee’s name, the title of the interview (if any), the interviewer’s name (if applicable and different from the source where it was published), the publication or website where the interview appears (if applicable), the date of the interview, and the URL or page range if the interview is found online or in print.

For a personally conducted interview, meaning you conducted the interview yourself, the format is quite straightforward. Begin with the interviewee’s last name, followed by a comma and their first name. Then, include the phrase “Personal interview,” followed by the date the interview took place. For example: Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 15 May 2023. If the interview is published, whether on a website, in a journal, or in a book, the citation requires more information. Start with the interviewee’s name, followed by “Interview with” and the interviewer’s name if it’s mentioned. Then, include the title of the interview (if there is one) in quotation marks. After that, provide the title of the publication or website in italics, followed by publication details such as the date, and the URL or page range. Providing as much relevant information as possible ensures your citation is accurate and helps readers locate the source easily.

How does citing a recorded interview differ from a live one in MLA?

In MLA style, citing a recorded interview requires you to specify the format of the recording and often includes more details than citing a live interview, such as publication information if it’s a publicly available recording. A live interview, because it is typically unpublished and directly conducted by the researcher, is cited differently, focusing on the interviewee and the date of the interview.

When citing a recorded interview (audio or video), you must indicate the medium of publication, such as “Audio recording” or “Video recording.” If the recorded interview is part of a larger work (e.g., a podcast episode, a documentary film), the citation should include the title of that work, the name of the host or director, and relevant publication information (publisher, date, URL or page range). For example, if you’re citing an interview from a podcast, you would cite the podcast episode title, the podcast name, the date the episode was published, and the URL. In contrast, a personal interview conducted by you is treated as unpublished material. The citation format is simpler, focusing on the interviewee and the date of the interview. You’ll include the interviewee’s name, state that it was a personal interview, and provide the date on which the interview took place. This type of citation assumes the interview is not accessible to the general public. If the live interview is subsequently published (e.g., transcribed and included in a book), it should then be cited like any other published source.

Where does the interview date go in an MLA citation?

In an MLA citation for an interview, the date of the interview is placed after the name of the interviewer and interviewee, and after any descriptive label like “Interview.” It is formatted as Day Month Year.

The placement of the interview date is crucial for readers to understand when the information was gathered. Including the date helps provide context for the interview’s content and allows researchers to assess the relevance and potential biases that might have been present at the time. Correctly positioning the date signals that it is the date the interview occurred rather than any other publication or broadcast date.

Consider this example: Smith, John. Interview by Jane Doe. 14 May 2023. In this example, “14 May 2023” clearly indicates when Jane Doe interviewed John Smith. It’s always important to check that the date aligns with any context provided within the interview itself, to ensure accuracy.

How do I cite an interview I conducted myself in MLA?

To cite an interview you conducted yourself in MLA format, begin with the interviewee’s last name, followed by their first name. Then, provide the title “Interview.” Include the date of the interview. If the interview is available as a recording or transcript, specify the format (e.g., Transcript, Recording). If it’s unpublished (meaning it exists only in your notes or memory), simply provide the date.

MLA distinguishes between published and unpublished interviews. If the interview is published (e.g., in a newspaper, journal, or website), follow the citation format for that publication type. However, when you conduct the interview yourself and it’s unpublished, the citation is simpler. The emphasis is on crediting the interviewee and providing the date the information was gathered. It’s also crucial to differentiate between an interview that exists as a tangible item (recording or transcript) and one that does not. For example, a citation for an unpublished interview might look like this: Smith, Jane. Interview. 12 July 2023. If you have a transcript of the interview, you would cite it as: Smith, Jane. Interview. Transcript. 12 July 2023. The absence of publication details indicates that the interview is original research conducted by you. In your text, you would then refer to this source using a parenthetical citation like (Smith). When referring to a specific quote, you can include information such as paragraph numbers, if available, or approximate locations within the transcript or recording to guide the reader: (Smith, par. 3).

And that’s the gist of citing interviews in MLA! Hopefully, this guide has clarified any confusion. Thanks for reading, and we hope you’ll visit us again for more helpful tips and tricks to ace your research and writing!