How to Cite an Interview in Chicago Style (17th Edition)

Whether you are an anthropology student conducting primary field research, or a historian analyzing an archival transcript, citing interviews presents unique formatting challenges. The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) outlines very specific rules that differentiate between published interviews (those found in books, magazines, or podcasts) and unpublished interviews (those you conducted personally).

The most important rule to remember in Chicago style is that the interviewee—the person providing the answers and insights—is always treated as the primary author. In this guide, we will break down exactly how to format footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography entries for various types of interviews.

Citing an Unpublished Personal Interview

If you conducted the interview yourself for your thesis or research paper, Chicago style dictates that this source should generally only exist in your footnotes or endnotes. Because the interview is not publicly accessible to other researchers, placing it in the formal bibliography is considered unnecessary padding.

Footnote Formula:

1. Interviewee First Name Last Name, interview by Interviewer First Name Last Name, location/medium, Month Day, Year.

Example Footnote:

1. Jonathan Crane, interview by author, telephone, September 14, 2023.

Notice that if you are the one who conducted the interview, you simply write "interview by author" rather than restating your own name.

Citing a Published Interview

If the interview was published in a magazine, journal, or broadcast online, it becomes a publicly retrievable document. Consequently, it must be cited in both your footnotes and your final bibliography. You will format the container (the magazine or website) according to standard Chicago rules for that specific medium.

Bibliography Formula:

Interviewee Last Name, First Name. "Title of Interview." Interview by Interviewer First Name Last Name. Title of Publication, Month Day, Year. URL.

Example Bibliography Entry:

Nolan, Christopher. "The Dark Knight Returns." Interview by Sarah Reporter. Cinema Monthly, August 15, 2012. https://www.cinemamonthly.com/nolan-interview.

Common Mistakes in Chicago Interview Citations

Putting the interviewer first: Always prioritize the interviewee. They provided the content you are quoting.
Padding the bibliography: Do not list your own personal, unrecorded interviews in the bibliography unless your instructor has explicitly demanded a complete accounting of all field research.
Missing the medium context: For unpublished interviews, failing to specify how the interview took place (e.g., "email," "Zoom," or "in-person") leaves readers without crucial context regarding the nature of the communication.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to include an unpublished interview in my Chicago bibliography?

No. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, unpublished personal interviews or personal communications should generally only be cited in the footnotes or endnotes. They rarely need to appear in the formal bibliography unless they are foundational to the entirety of your research.

Whose name comes first: the interviewer or the interviewee?

The interviewee (the person being interviewed) is treated as the author of the source. Their name comes first, followed by the interviewer’s details.

How do I cite an interview I found published in a magazine?

If the interview is published in a periodical like a magazine or journal, you treat it like a standard article from that container. However, you will add the phrase "interview by [Interviewer Name]" after the title of the piece.

What format should I use for the date of the interview?

In Chicago style footnotes, dates are written in the standard Month Day, Year format (e.g., August 12, 2024).