How do I cite an interview I conducted myself in MLA?
To cite an interview you conducted yourself in MLA format, include the interviewee’s name, the fact that it’s a personal interview, and the date of the interview. The basic format is: Last Name, First Name. Personal interview. Day Month Year.
For example, if you interviewed Jane Doe on March 8, 2023, your citation would look like this: Doe, Jane. Personal interview. 8 Mar. 2023. The abbreviation for the month should follow MLA guidelines (e.g., Mar. for March, Apr. for April, Sept. for September). There is no need to include your own name as the interviewer, since you are the author of the paper and thus implicitly conducted the interview.
This citation appears in your Works Cited page. Within the body of your paper, you’ll refer to the interview using a parenthetical citation. For instance, you might write: “Doe argued that the new policy was ineffective (personal interview).” Alternatively, you can integrate the interviewee’s name into your sentence: “According to Jane Doe, the new policy was ineffective (personal interview).” This allows the reader to easily connect your in-text references to the full citation in the Works Cited list.
What if an interview is unavailable to the public; how do I cite it MLA?
If an interview is unavailable to the public (e.g., a personal interview you conducted), you cite it differently than a published interview. You’ll include the name of the interviewee, the fact that it was a personal interview, and the date of the interview.
When citing a personal interview in MLA format, the entry in your Works Cited list should look like this: Last Name, First Name of Interviewee. Personal interview. Date of Interview. For example: Smith, John. Personal interview. 15 May 2023. Note that there’s a period after the interviewee’s name, “Personal interview,” and the date. This entry provides the necessary information for your reader to understand the source of your information, even though they cannot access it themselves. In your text, you’ll refer to the interview using a parenthetical citation. Typically, this consists of the interviewee’s last name. For example: (Smith). If you include the interviewee’s name in your sentence, you don’t need to repeat it in the parenthetical citation. For example: According to John Smith, the project was a success. If you conducted multiple interviews with people of the same last name, include their first initial in the parenthetical citation for clarity, e.g., (J. Smith).
Does the MLA citation format change for recorded vs. live interviews?
Yes, the MLA citation format differs slightly depending on whether the interview is recorded (audio, video, or transcript) or conducted live. The key distinction lies in how the source is accessed and where the interview is housed. A recorded interview will likely be available through a platform or archive, while a live interview requires you to specify that you conducted it yourself.
For a recorded interview, your citation should provide information about the interviewee, the interviewer (if known), the title of the interview (if available), the publication or program where it appeared, and the date of the interview. Most importantly, include details on how to access the recorded interview, such as a URL or database name. This allows readers to find and verify the information you are citing. Examples include interviews found on YouTube, podcasts, or within a journal’s online archives.
In contrast, a live interview you conducted requires a simpler citation structure. You’ll still begin with the interviewee’s name. Then, instead of a publication title, you would simply state “Personal interview.” Finally, include the date on which you conducted the interview. This indicates that the interview is not publicly accessible and that you are the primary source for the information. This signals to the reader that the material isn’t available for them to directly access but is based on your interaction.
How do I format an in-text citation for an MLA interview citation?
For an MLA in-text citation of an interview, include the interviewee’s last name in parentheses. If the interviewee’s name is mentioned in the sentence, you only need to include the page number (if available from a transcript) in parentheses. If there is no page number, simply include the last name.
When the interviewee’s name is not mentioned in the sentence, the in-text citation should consist of the interviewee’s last name inside parentheses. For example: “The experience was transformative (Smith).” If the interview has page numbers (e.g., if it was published in a book or journal), include the page number after the name: “(Smith 22).” Page numbers are rarely applicable for interviews unless you are citing a published transcript. If you conducted the interview yourself, there will be no page numbers.
When the interviewee’s name *is* mentioned in the sentence, include the page number (if applicable) in parentheses immediately after their name. For instance, “Smith described the event as life-changing (22).” If there are no page numbers available, no parenthetical citation is needed if the interviewee is named in your sentence.
What if the interview has no title; how do I cite it MLA?
If an interview you are citing in MLA format lacks a formal title, simply create a descriptive title of your own. This title should accurately reflect the content of the interview and be placed in quotation marks.
When crafting your descriptive title, focus on summarizing the main topic or focus of the interview. For example, if you interviewed a local artist about their creative process and recent exhibition, a suitable title might be: “Interview with [Artist’s Name] on Creative Process and Recent Exhibition.” The goal is to provide enough information so that your reader can understand the interview’s subject matter at a glance. Remember to capitalize the important words in your self-created title, just as you would with an official title. After creating the descriptive title, proceed with the standard MLA citation format. The basic structure would then be: [Last Name, First Name of Interviewee]. “Descriptive Title of Interview.” Interview by [Interviewer’s Name]. [Publication or Venue Where Interview Was Found], [Date of Interview]. So, for example: Smith, Jane. “Discussion of New Urban Development Project.” Interview by John Doe. *Local Gazette*, 14 Mar. 2024. If the interview is accessed online, include the URL or DOI at the end of the citation.
Where does the date of the interview 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 the designation “Interviewer.” It forms part of the publication information for the interview itself, allowing readers to understand when the information was gathered.
The placement of the interview date is crucial for providing context to the reader. Interviews are, by nature, time-sensitive documents reflecting the interviewee’s thoughts and experiences at a particular moment. By including the date immediately after the interviewer’s name, you clearly indicate when the conversation occurred. This allows readers to assess the relevance and potential biases of the information shared within the interview in light of historical events, personal circumstances, or other influencing factors. This chronological marker adds credibility and transparency to your citation. For instance, a personal interview citation would look like this: Smith, John. Interview by Jane Doe. 15 Mar. 2023. Note that day-month-year format with a period after the year is used. If the interview is published, the citation will include additional publication information such as the name of the publication or website, and its publication date. The interview date remains a separate element, detailing when the interview *itself* occurred. This distinction helps researchers differentiate between the creation date of the interview content and its publication date, if they are different.
Is there a difference citing an interview from a website versus a print source in MLA?
Yes, there’s a notable difference in how you cite an interview in MLA format depending on whether it’s accessed from a website or a print source. The core information remains similar—the interviewee’s name, the interviewer’s name (if applicable), and the date of the interview—but the specific elements and their order change to reflect the source’s medium.
When citing an interview from a website, you must include the website name and URL, as well as the date you accessed the material. This ensures readers can locate the interview online. The citation will generally follow the pattern: Interviewee’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Interview (if applicable).” *Website Name*, Date of Publication, URL. Accessed Day Month Year. If there is an interviewer of note, his or her name may be listed. For example, if Stephen Colbert interviewed Michelle Obama on *The Late Show* website, your works cited entry would begin with Obama, and include the title of the segment, *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert*, and the URL for that specific interview segment.
Conversely, a print interview citation reflects the publication in which it appeared. You’ll include details like the publication’s title, the publication date, and the page numbers where the interview can be found. If it’s an interview published as part of a larger work like a book, you’ll cite it as a chapter within that book. The format is more akin to citing an article in a print journal or magazine, focusing on the physical location of the source rather than a web address. For example, an interview from a book would include the interviewer, interviewee, title of interview (if any), title of book, editor (if any), publisher, date, and page numbers.
And there you have it! Citing interviews in MLA format doesn’t have to be intimidating. Hopefully, this guide has made the process a little clearer and easier for you. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back for more helpful writing tips and tricks!