How to Cite an Interview in MLA Format
Use only the interviewee's last name when citing personal interviews., Eliminate the parenthetical citation if you use the last name in the sentence., Give the last name and page number for a print interview., Place short quotations from interviews...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use only the interviewee's last name when citing personal interviews.
Personal interviews are interviews that you have conducted yourself.
They have no page number because they have not been published in a book.
When you cite a personal interview in the body of your paper, place only the author's last name in parentheses at the end of the sentence.Periods go after the parentheses.
Think about the parenthetical citation as being part of the sentence.
The period goes at the end of the whole sentence, so it goes after the parentheses.
The superintendent stated that there would be money in the budget for new computers (Jones).
Emily said, "Training for the Olympics was the most challenging thing I have ever done" (Walker). -
Step 2: Eliminate the parenthetical citation if you use the last name in the sentence.
MLA guidelines state that if you state the last name in the sentence, you do not need that same information in the parentheses.
The parenthetical information complements, not repeats, the information provided in the sentence.Jones stated that there would be money in the budget for new computers.
Walker said, "Training for the Olympics was the most challenging thing I have ever done." The difference between the examples in step 1 and step 2 is the way the last name is presented.
In step 1, the last name is in the parenthetical citation because it does not appear in the sentence.
In step 2, the last name appears in the sentence, so it does not need to be repeated in a parenthetical citation.
The reason why the last name must appear in either the sentence or the parenthetical citation is because the last name corresponds to the entry on the works cited page.
Every citation must link directly to the works cited page. , If your interview is printed in a book or other print source, provide the author's last name and the page number.
You cite this just like you would any book or journal.Emily trained so hard that she bruised her foot and had to take a break (Walker 45).
Walker explained that she had to take a break from training after bruising her foot (45).
Remember, MLA does not put a comma between the last name and the page number in a parenthetical citation. , Short quotations are no longer than four typed lines.
When you cite short quotations from an interview, enclose the directly quoted words in quotation marks.
Place the parentheses after the closing quotation mark but before the period.If a quotation ends with an exclamation point or a question mark, place it inside the quotation marks.
Dr.
James Hill said, "The virus starts by affecting the brain" (56).
Dr.
James Hill asked, "If we can't find a cure, how will we save the human race?" (57). , Long quotations are longer than four typed lines.
When you cite a direct quote from an interview this long, you must place it into a block quote.
Do not put quotation marks around the quoted words.
Instead, the words will be freestanding from the rest of the paragraph.
Start the quotation on a new line after placing a colon after the lead-in text, instead of the comma like for short quotations.
The entire quote will be indented one inch from the margin.
The parentheses come after the punctuation, unlike in short quotations.Start your block quote like this:
In an interview from 2002, Peter Jackson stated:
Punctuate the end of your block quote like this:
Jackson said he will always keep making movies. (34-35) -
Step 3: Give the last name and page number for a print interview.
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Step 4: Place short quotations from interviews in quotation marks.
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Step 5: Format long quotations with a block quote.
Detailed Guide
Personal interviews are interviews that you have conducted yourself.
They have no page number because they have not been published in a book.
When you cite a personal interview in the body of your paper, place only the author's last name in parentheses at the end of the sentence.Periods go after the parentheses.
Think about the parenthetical citation as being part of the sentence.
The period goes at the end of the whole sentence, so it goes after the parentheses.
The superintendent stated that there would be money in the budget for new computers (Jones).
Emily said, "Training for the Olympics was the most challenging thing I have ever done" (Walker).
MLA guidelines state that if you state the last name in the sentence, you do not need that same information in the parentheses.
The parenthetical information complements, not repeats, the information provided in the sentence.Jones stated that there would be money in the budget for new computers.
Walker said, "Training for the Olympics was the most challenging thing I have ever done." The difference between the examples in step 1 and step 2 is the way the last name is presented.
In step 1, the last name is in the parenthetical citation because it does not appear in the sentence.
In step 2, the last name appears in the sentence, so it does not need to be repeated in a parenthetical citation.
The reason why the last name must appear in either the sentence or the parenthetical citation is because the last name corresponds to the entry on the works cited page.
Every citation must link directly to the works cited page. , If your interview is printed in a book or other print source, provide the author's last name and the page number.
You cite this just like you would any book or journal.Emily trained so hard that she bruised her foot and had to take a break (Walker 45).
Walker explained that she had to take a break from training after bruising her foot (45).
Remember, MLA does not put a comma between the last name and the page number in a parenthetical citation. , Short quotations are no longer than four typed lines.
When you cite short quotations from an interview, enclose the directly quoted words in quotation marks.
Place the parentheses after the closing quotation mark but before the period.If a quotation ends with an exclamation point or a question mark, place it inside the quotation marks.
Dr.
James Hill said, "The virus starts by affecting the brain" (56).
Dr.
James Hill asked, "If we can't find a cure, how will we save the human race?" (57). , Long quotations are longer than four typed lines.
When you cite a direct quote from an interview this long, you must place it into a block quote.
Do not put quotation marks around the quoted words.
Instead, the words will be freestanding from the rest of the paragraph.
Start the quotation on a new line after placing a colon after the lead-in text, instead of the comma like for short quotations.
The entire quote will be indented one inch from the margin.
The parentheses come after the punctuation, unlike in short quotations.Start your block quote like this:
In an interview from 2002, Peter Jackson stated:
Punctuate the end of your block quote like this:
Jackson said he will always keep making movies. (34-35)
About the Author
Bruce Hernandez
Bruce Hernandez specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 12 years. Bruce is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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