Any thoroughly researched document generally supplements written sources with interviews. Interviews are generally divided into two categories: printed or broadcast work and unpublished personal interviews. Citing an interview can be confusing if you're used to citing books or articles, but as with any other MLA citation, you just have to follow these simple rules to cite any interview.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Cite interviews with in-text citations
Step 1. Use only the interviewee's last name when citing personal interviews
Personal interviews are interviews that you conduct yourself. They do not have a page number because they are not published in a book. When citing a personal interview in the body of your writing, place only the author's last name in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
- The periods come after the parentheses. Think of the parentheses as part of the sentence. The period goes after the whole sentence, so it goes after the parentheses.
- The superintendent stated that there will be money in the budget for new computers (Jones).
- Emily said, "Training for the Olympics is the hardest thing I've ever done" (Walker).
Step 2. Remove the parentheses from the quote if you used the last name in the sentence
The MLA guidelines state that if the last name is written in the sentence, it is not necessary to put the same information in parentheses. The information in parentheses complements, does not repeat, the information in the sentence.
- Jones stated that there will be money in the budget for new computers.
- Walker said, "Training for the Olympics is the hardest thing I've ever done."
- The difference between the example in step 1 and the one in step 2 is how the last name is presented. In step 1, the last name is in parentheses because it does not appear in the sentence. In step 2, the last name appears in the sentence, therefore it does not have to be repeated in parentheses.
- The reason the last name should appear in the sentence or in parentheses is because the last name corresponds to an entry on the works cited page. Each citation should be linked directly to the works cited page.
Step 3. Write the last name and page number if the interview is in print
If the interview is printed in a book or some other source, provide the author's last name and page number. You can quote this as you would any book or journal.
- Emily trained so hard that she hurt her foot and had to take a break (Walker 45).
- Walker explained that he had to stop training a bit after hurting his foot (45).
- Remember, with MLA you don't have to put a comma between the last name and the page number between the parentheses.
Step 4. Put short quotes from the interview in quotation marks
A short quote is shorter than 4 lines. When writing short quotes about an interview, you should enclose what you are quoting in quotation marks. Put parentheses after closing the quotation marks but before the period.
- If the quote ends in an exclamation point or question mark, place it within the quotation marks.
- Dr. James Hill stated, "The virus begins to affect the brain" (56).
- Dr. James Hill asked, "If we can't find a cure, how will we save the human race?" (57).
Step 5. Format long quotes in a quote block
Long quotes are more than four lines. When you are going to quote a direct quote from a long interview, you should do it within a quote block. Do not put the quotation in quotation marks. The quote should be separated from the rest of the paragraph. Write the quote on a new line after placing a colon after the text, instead of a comma as in short quotes. The entire quote should be 2.54 cm from the margin. The parenthesis is written after the period, unlike short quotes.
- Start writing the quote this way; In a 2002 interview, Peter Jackson stated:
- End the quote as follows: Jackson stated that he will continue to make movies. (34-35)
Method 2 of 2: Cite Interviews on the Job Dating Page
Step 1. Begin a personal interview appointment by writing the interviewee's last name
On the works cited page, write the quote with the interviewee's last name. After the last name, add a comma and write the name of the interviewee. Directly after the name of the first name, write a period. Then include the type of interview, followed by a period. Finally, add the date of the interview and close with a period.
- Dates must be in the format of day, month, and year. Write the number of the day, followed by the abbreviation of the month (three letters) followed by a period and finally the numerical value of the year. June and July remain the same and no point is placed afterwards. September is abbreviated using 4 letters: Sept.
- For the type of interview, write whether it was in person, by phone, or by email.
- For example: Gambill, Mike. Telephone interview. Apr 1 2003.
Step 2. Include the title of the published interview collection
Published interviews include print and broadcast interviews. If the interview is part of a larger work such as a book or television show, the title of the interview should be included in the citation, along with the medium of the interview (print, web, DVD). The title of the interview is in quotation marks and the title of the book or television show must be in italics.
- For an interview published in a print source, start by typing the interviewee's last name, followed by a comma, and then the first name. Add a point. Put the name of the interview in quotation marks, with the period inside the quotation marks. Now, write the name of the book or newspaper where the interview was published in italics. Add a point. Then write the name of the author or publisher of the book as follows: "By [first and last name]" or "Edited by [first and last name]". Add a point and end the appointment with the information required by the medium.
- Amis, Kingsley. "Mimic and moralistic." Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men. By Dale Salwak. San Bernardino: Borgo, 1984. 34-47. Printed.
- Blanchett, Cate. "In character with Cate Blanchett." Notes on the scandal. Dir. Richard Eyre. Fox Searchlight, 2006. DVD.
- If the interview does not have a name, just write the word “interview” (without quotation marks and without being in italics).
- Jolie, Angelina. Interview. 60 Minutes. CBS. WCBS, New York: Feb. 3, 2009. Television.
Step 3. Cite interviews posted online as a standard web entry
In place of the author, write the interviewer, starting with the last name. If the interview has a title, enclose it in quotation marks. Place the name of the website in italics, write the name of the publisher, the date of publication, the medium of publication (web) and the date you accessed the website.
- If the publisher does not come, insert the abbreviation n.p. If the publication date does not come, use n.d.
- If the interview does not have a title, write “Interview” after the interviewee's name without quotation marks and without being in italics.
- Obama, Michelle. Interview by Caren Zucker. ABC News. ABC, 2009. Web. Apr 19 2009.
- Antin, David. "As I see it." Dalkey Archive Press. Dalkey Archive P, n.d. Web. 21 Aug 2007.
Advice
- Make sure to include a complete list of all sources to avoid plagiarism.
- Remember, the pages with the works cited use French indents. The first line is aligned with the left margin, while each subsequent line is indented.
- Always start writing the MLA citation with the last names.
- Arrange the entries on the citations page in alphabetical order.
- Do not write the last name in both the sentence and the quotation in parentheses.