How to Cite an Interview in Chicago 17 Format
Interviews are primary sources that carry significant weight in history and journalism research. Whether you conducted the interview yourself, found a published interview in a magazine, or referenced a broadcast conversation, Chicago 17th Edition has specific formatting rules for each scenario. The citation format varies substantially depending on how the interview was conducted and where (or whether) it was published. This guide covers every interview type you're likely to encounter in your research.
For a complete overview of Chicago formatting rules, see our Chicago 17th Edition guide.
Quick Reference
Published Interview — Footnote Template
First Footnote:
N. Interviewee First Last, interview by Interviewer First Last, Publication Title, Month Day, Year.
Shortened Footnote:
N. Interviewee Last, interview.
Bibliography:
Interviewee Last, First. Interview by Interviewer First Last. Publication Title, Month Day, Year.
Unpublished/Personal Interview — Footnote Template
First Footnote:
N. Interviewee First Last, interview by author, City, State, Month Day, Year.
Shortened Footnote:
N. Interviewee Last, interview.
Bibliography:
Interviewee Last, First. Interview by author. City, State. Month Day, Year.
Broadcast Interview — Footnote Template
First Footnote:
N. Interviewee First Last, interview by Interviewer First Last, Program Title, Network, Month Day, Year.
Shortened Footnote:
N. Interviewee Last, interview.
Bibliography:
Interviewee Last, First. Interview by Interviewer First Last. Program Title. Network. Month Day, Year.
Understanding Interview Types in Chicago Style
Chicago 17 distinguishes between three main categories of interviews, and each one follows different citation rules. Before you format your citation, identify which type you're working with:
- Personal (unpublished) interviews — Interviews you conducted yourself for your research. These are typically cited only in footnotes, not in the bibliography, unless they are central to your argument.
- Published interviews — Interviews that appeared in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or book. These follow a format similar to other published works, with the interviewee listed as the primary name.
- Broadcast interviews — Interviews aired on television, radio, or posted as video/audio online. These require the program name and network or platform.
A key principle in Chicago style: the interviewee is always the primary person cited, not the interviewer. The interviewer's name follows "interview by."
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Published Interview in a Magazine
An interview with Toni Morrison published in The Paris Review:
First Footnote:
1. Toni Morrison, interview by Elissa Schappell, The Paris Review, no. 128 (Fall 1993): 83–125.
Shortened Footnote:
2. Morrison, interview, 90.
Bibliography:
Morrison, Toni. Interview by Elissa Schappell. The Paris Review, no. 128 (Fall 1993): 83–125.
Example 2: Personal Interview (Unpublished)
An interview you conducted with a local historian for a research paper:
First Footnote:
3. Margaret Chen, interview by author, Chicago, IL, March 15, 2025.
Shortened Footnote:
4. Chen, interview.
Bibliography:
Chen, Margaret. Interview by author. Chicago, IL. March 15, 2025.
Note: Chicago style permits omitting personal interviews from the bibliography entirely. If the interview is not a major source, a footnote alone is sufficient. If you include it in the bibliography, the format above applies.
Example 3: Broadcast Television Interview
An interview with Barack Obama on 60 Minutes:
First Footnote:
5. Barack Obama, interview by Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes, CBS, November 16, 2008.
Shortened Footnote:
6. Obama, interview.
Bibliography:
Obama, Barack. Interview by Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS. November 16, 2008.
Example 4: Online Video Interview
A published interview available online with a URL:
First Footnote:
7. Ta-Nehisi Coates, interview by Trevor Noah, The Daily Show, Comedy Central, October 5, 2017, https://www.cc.com/video/1kkxil/the-daily-show-ta-nehisi-coates.
Shortened Footnote:
8. Coates, interview.
Bibliography:
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Interview by Trevor Noah. The Daily Show. Comedy Central. October 5, 2017. https://www.cc.com/video/1kkxil/the-daily-show-ta-nehisi-coates.
Example 5: Interview Published in an Edited Book
An interview reprinted in a collected volume:
First Footnote:
9. James Baldwin, interview by Studs Terkel, in Conversations with James Baldwin, ed. Fred L. Standley and Louis H. Pratt (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1989), 3–23.
Shortened Footnote:
10. Baldwin, interview, 15.
Bibliography:
Baldwin, James. Interview by Studs Terkel. In Conversations with James Baldwin, edited by Fred L. Standley and Louis H. Pratt, 3–23. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1989.
Check Your Chicago Interview Citation
Paste your interview footnote or bibliography entry to check formatting
Step-by-Step: Creating an Interview Citation
Step 1: Identify the Interview Type
Determine whether the interview is personal/unpublished, published in print or online, or broadcast. This dictates which template you follow and what information you need to gather.
Step 2: Gather the Required Elements
Depending on your interview type, collect the following:
| Element | Personal | Published | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interviewee name | Required | Required | Required |
| Interviewer name | "by author" | Required | Required |
| Publication/Program title | — | Required | Required |
| Network/Publisher | — | If applicable | Required |
| Date | Required | Required | Required |
| Location (city, state) | Required | — | — |
| Page numbers | — | If applicable | — |
| URL | — | If online | If online |
Step 3: Format the Interviewee's Name
In footnotes, use natural order: First Last (e.g., "Toni Morrison"). In the bibliography, invert the name: Last, First (e.g., "Morrison, Toni").
Step 4: Add "interview by" and the Interviewer
Always use the lowercase phrase "interview by" followed by the interviewer's full name. If you conducted the interview yourself, write "interview by author."
Step 5: Include Publication or Broadcast Details
For published interviews, italicize the publication title and include volume, issue, or date information as you would for any periodical. For broadcast interviews, italicize the program name and follow it with the network name.
Step 6: Add the Date and Access Information
Use the full date format: Month Day, Year. If the source is available online, include the URL at the end of the citation. Chicago 17 does not require access dates for stable URLs, but you may include one if the content could change.
Step 7: Punctuate Correctly
In footnotes, elements are separated by commas and the entry ends with a period. In the bibliography, elements are separated by periods, and the entry uses a hanging indent.
Common Errors
❌ Wrong — Interviewer listed first:
1. Steve Kroft, interview with Barack Obama, 60 Minutes, CBS, November 16, 2008.
✅ Correct — Interviewee listed first:
1. Barack Obama, interview by Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes, CBS, November 16, 2008.
❌ Wrong — Using "interview with" instead of "interview by":
Morrison, Toni. Interview with Elissa Schappell. The Paris Review, no. 128 (Fall 1993).
✅ Correct — "Interview by":
Morrison, Toni. Interview by Elissa Schappell. The Paris Review, no. 128 (Fall 1993): 83–125.
❌ Wrong — Italicizing "Interview by":
1. James Baldwin, interview by Studs Terkel, in Conversations with James Baldwin.
✅ Correct — "interview by" in roman type:
1. James Baldwin, interview by Studs Terkel, in Conversations with James Baldwin, ed. Fred L. Standley and Louis H. Pratt (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1989), 3–23.
❌ Wrong — Using your own name for a personal interview:
3. Margaret Chen, interview by Jane Smith, Chicago, IL, March 15, 2025.
✅ Correct — Use "author" for interviews you conducted:
3. Margaret Chen, interview by author, Chicago, IL, March 15, 2025.
❌ Wrong — Bibliography name not inverted:
Barack Obama. Interview by Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS. November 16, 2008.
✅ Correct — Last name first in bibliography:
Obama, Barack. Interview by Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS. November 16, 2008.
Special Cases
Email or Telephone Interview
For interviews conducted by email or phone rather than in person, specify the medium:
Footnote:
11. David Park, telephone interview by author, January 8, 2025.
Bibliography:
Park, David. Telephone interview by author. January 8, 2025.
You can also use "email interview by author" or "video call interview by author" to specify the format. This is particularly relevant for journalism students documenting their source methods.
Interviewer Unknown
If the interviewer is not identified in the published source, omit the "interview by" phrase and describe it as an interview:
Footnote:
12. Angela Davis, interview, Essence, May 1976, 54–56.
Bibliography:
Davis, Angela. Interview. Essence, May 1976, 54–56.
Interview with a Title
Some published interviews have their own title. When a title exists, include it in quotation marks before "interview by":
Footnote:
13. Gabriel García Márquez, "The Art of Fiction No. 69," interview by Peter H. Stone, The Paris Review, no. 82 (Winter 1981): 45–73.
Bibliography:
García Márquez, Gabriel. "The Art of Fiction No. 69." Interview by Peter H. Stone. The Paris Review, no. 82 (Winter 1981): 45–73.
Interview in an Archive or Special Collection
For oral history interviews held in archives, include the collection name and repository:
Footnote:
14. Rosa Parks, interview by James Haskins, February 14, 1985, transcript, Rosa Parks Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Bibliography:
Parks, Rosa. Interview by James Haskins. February 14, 1985. Transcript. Rosa Parks Papers. Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Group Interview or Panel
When multiple people are interviewed together, list all interviewees:
Footnote:
15. John Lewis and Andrew Young, interview by Juan Williams, Eyes on the Prize, PBS, January 1987.
Bibliography:
Lewis, John, and Andrew Young. Interview by Juan Williams. Eyes on the Prize. PBS. January 1987.
Check Your Bibliography Entry
Paste your interview bibliography entry to verify formatting
Frequently Asked Questions
Do personal interviews belong in the bibliography?
It depends. Chicago 17 states that unpublished interviews, including those you conducted yourself, are typically cited only in footnotes or parenthetical references. However, if the interview is a central source for your argument — common in journalism and oral history research — you may include it in the bibliography. Discuss this with your instructor if you're unsure.
How do I cite an interview I found on YouTube or a podcast?
Treat it as a broadcast or online interview. List the interviewee first, then "interview by" the host, the program or channel name in italics, the platform, the date, and the URL. For example: a podcast interview would list the podcast title in italics, and a YouTube interview would include the channel name and URL.
What if the same person is both interviewer and interviewee (a self-interview or Q&A)?
This is rare but does occur in published Q&A formats. Cite it as you would a regular article by that author, using the publication's title in quotation marks. Do not use the interview format if there is no distinct interviewer.
Should I use "interview by" or "interviewed by"?
Chicago 17 uses "interview by" (not "interviewed by"). This is the standard phrasing in both footnotes and bibliography entries. Using "interviewed by" is a common error — always use the noun form.
How do I handle an interview translated from another language?
Include the translator's name after the interviewer, using "translated by" before their name. If the interview was published in translation, also note the original language if relevant to your research context:
Footnote:
16. Haruki Murakami, interview by John Freeman, translated by Philip Gabriel, Granta, no. 124 (Summer 2013): 35–50.
Validation Checklist
Before submitting your paper, verify each interview citation against this checklist:
- Interviewee first: The person being interviewed is listed as the primary name, not the interviewer.
- Correct phrasing: You used "interview by" (not "interview with," "interviewed by," or "an interview with").
- Name formatting: Footnotes use First Last order; bibliography uses Last, First order.
- Personal interviews: You wrote "interview by author" (not your own name) for interviews you conducted.
- Medium specified: For phone or email interviews, the medium is stated (e.g., "telephone interview by author").
- Titles italicized correctly: Publication names and program titles are italicized; interview titles (if any) are in quotation marks.
- Complete dates: Full dates are provided in Month Day, Year format.
- Page numbers included: For published print interviews, page ranges are present.
- URLs included: For online sources, a working URL appears at the end of the citation.
- Shortened footnotes: Subsequent references use the shortened form (Last name, interview, page).
- Hanging indent: Bibliography entries use a half-inch hanging indent.
- Alphabetization: Bibliography entries are alphabetized by the interviewee's last name, not the interviewer's.
Interview citations can be tricky because Chicago 17 treats each type differently. When in doubt, remember the core principle: interviewee first, "interview by" the interviewer, then the publication or broadcast details. For comprehensive formatting guidance beyond interviews, consult our complete Chicago 17th Edition citation guide.
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