Interviews and personal communications - Parenthetical citations–reference list style: citing specific types of sources - Part II. Source Citation

A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, 7th edition - Kate L. Turabian 2007

Interviews and personal communications
Parenthetical citations–reference list style: citing specific types of sources
Part II. Source Citation

To cite an unpublished interview (including one you have conducted yourself), begin a reference list entry with the names of the person interviewed and the interviewer; also include the place and date of the interview (if known) and the location of any tapes or transcripts (if available). (For broadcast interviews, see 19.8.3.)

R: Macmillan, Andrew. 2007. Interview by author. San Diego, CA. March 2.

Spock, Benjamin. 1974. Interview by Milton J. E. Senn. November 20. Interview 67A, transcript, Senn Oral History Collection, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

In parenthetical citations, use the name of the person interviewed, not that of the interviewer.

P: (Macmillan 2007)

(Spock 1974)

If you cannot reveal the name of the person interviewed, use only a parenthetical citation, with information appropriate to the context. You can also weave some or all of this information into the text, but you do not need to include the interview in your reference list. Explain the absence of a name (“All interviews were confidential; the names of interviewees are withheld by mutual agreement”) in a footnote or a preface.

P: (interview with a health care worker, August 10, 2006)

Cite conversations, letters, e-mail messages, and the like only in parenthetical citations. You generally need not include them in your reference list, although you may choose to include a specific communication that is critical to your argument or frequently cited. The key elements, which should be separated with commas, are the name of the other person, the date, and the type of communication. In many cases, you may be able to include some or all of this information in the text. Omit e-mail addresses. To cite postings to electronic mailing lists, see 19.7.3.

P: (Maxine Greene, September 29, 2005, e-mail message to author)

In a telephone conversation with the author on October 12, 2006, Colonel William Rich revealed that . . .