interview essay apa format

APA Citation Style, 7th edition: Interview

• General Style Guidelines
• One Author or Editor
• Two Authors or Editors
• Three to Five Authors or Editors
• Article or Chapter in an Edited Book
• Article in a Reference Book
• Edition other than the First
• Translation
• Government Publication
• Journal Article with 1 Author
• Journal Article with 2 Authors
• Journal Article with 3–20 Authors
• Journal Article 21 or more Authors
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Basic Web Page
• Web page from a University site
• Web Page with No Author
• Entry in a Reference Work
• Government Document
• Film and Television
• Youtube Video
• Audio Podcast
• Electronic Image
• Twitter/Instagram
• Lecture/PPT
• Conferences
• Secondary Sources
• Citation Support
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting Your Paper

Helpful Tip!

NOTE: If you recorded the interview or Skype meeting and posted it online (i.e. YouTube, web site) you can then include the reference and direct the reader to the audio or video file that captured the interview. See: APA S tyle: Personal Communications  OR Quotations from Research Participants . 

An Interview

Important Note: Personal interviews are not included in the reference list because they do not provide recoverable data . Cite them IN TEXT ONLY.

Personal Communication Includes letters, phone calls, email messages, and interviews.

General Format

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Interviewee First Initial. Second Initial. Surname, personal communication, Month Day, Year)

In-Text Citation (Quotation):

References:

Not included

(J. Brown, personal communication, April 27, 2010)

Subject Guide

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How to Write an Interview Paper in APA Format

Sometimes writing a specific paper type proves challenging to many students. Couple that with a particular formatting and referencing style, and it becomes more hectic. However, if you know the basics of the paper and the formatting style, it is an easy task.

One of the papers that may appear complex to write is an interview paper. An interview paper follows an interview format and provides a forum for discussion using questions and answers. Despite it sounding unmanageable, writing an interview paper in APA format is relatively easy if you know the following basics.

But if you have never written one, this guide will show you how to write a professional-quality interview paper in APA format.

Here is how to write an interview paper in APA format.

What is an Interview Paper

The interview paper is an essay you write discussing various views on a topic using data gathered through interviews. This paper is an excellent way to develop your analytical, research, and writing skills.

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The purpose of an interview paper is to provide you with practice in organizing, conducting, and writing about topics using primary data. Similarly, it helps readers to understand a specific topic from a primary data perspective.

Also see: Is APA format the same as ASA format? 

Additionally, an interview paper provides information about a particular topic or event that has been documented in other sources but needs further explanation or analysis. This can be done by interviewing participants and analyzing their responses.

What Is the APA format

APA is a writing, formatting, and referencing style paper developed by the American Psychological Association. It is commonly used in business, education, and social sciences papers such as economics and sociology.

The format makes it easy for readers to navigate your paper and present you as a professional in academics. APA-formatted pieces have four major sections, the title, abstract, body, and references.

The general guidelines for formatting any paper are;

• Running head. This is the title found at the top of every page
• The article is double spaced
• Every margin on either side is 1 inch
• This style recommends 11-point Arial or Calibri or 12-point Times New Roman

After completing your interview, it is time to write your paper. Generally, the steps involved in developing an interview paper are

• Explaining the interview. Provide valid and solid reasons for the need for the interview and why you cannot source the information from secondary sources
• Presenting your source. Explain your source’s background and capabilities and why they are the perfect option for the interview
• Presenting the question. Show your readers the question posed to the interviewee and their reactions
• Write exact quotes. Use quotation marks to present your interviewee’s same words, especially if they are figures and explicit data. Ideally, do not summarize important facts your interviewee gives you
• Cite appropriately. Use in-text referencing closed in brackets whenever you quote your interview in APA.

If you were recording the interviews, start by transcribing them and analyzing the data. However, you can write your paper directly while listening to the audio or video. But transcription is the best route to help you better understand the information.

Here are the tips and guidelines on how to write an interview paper in APA format.

Set up your typing document

This is the first step in how to write an interview paper in APA. However, other individuals may prefer to do it after they finish typing. Nevertheless, starting with this step saves you trouble and cases of forgetfulness.

The step involves setting your blank word document on double spacing, 12-point New Times Romans or 11-point Arial or Calibri. Additionally, on the setup menu, select a 1-inch margin on all sides. After this setup, select the header section and set the running head and page numbers.

Creating the title page

This is the first page of your paper that readers see when they open it up, so it’s essential to ensure everything is formatted correctly. APA format requires the title page’s content to be center aligned. The tile is written 3 or 4 lines from the top in bold. If your interview paper has a subtitle, write it below the main title, and remember to put a colon after it.

Other information included is written on their separate lines and are

• Your first and last name
• School name
• Course name and number
• Instructor’s name
• Assignment’s due date

Write the main body

The body is the meat of your interview paper and includes every information you receive during the interview. This part also carries the bulk of the article, including the introduction, interview questions and answers, and conclusion.

To write it in APA format center and bold the title. On the following line, indent and start writing the body.

Explaining the interview’s purpose

This is part of the body and, more specifically, the introduction. In this part, you explain the reason for the interview and its relation to your thesis. In other words, it is the justification for the interview.

Next, explain why you chose this particular subject to be interviewed. If possible, give a few examples of how their experiences or life would be different than yours.

Introducing sources and question topic

It is also found in the introduction. Its purpose is to introduce the interviewee and the topics discussed. The best way to write it is to give the interview’s background and qualifications. This gives more credence to your paper.

Presenting the questions and quotations

Each paragraph in the body should carry a specific question. It is recommended to start the section with the question to give the quotation and answer context. The best way is to write the question as a direct or indirect quotation followed by the responses.

The response is also written as a direct or indirect quote. However, if it exceeds 40 words, place it as a single block and indent half an inch.

Cite the quotations

In every response, remember to include in-text citations. This is a mandatory rule, even if you are interviewing a single individual.

The rules for APA intext citations are

• The interviewee’s first initial and last name
• The phrase ‘personal communication.’
• Month, date, and year of the interview

The punctuation is used after the closing parenthesis citation, except in block quotations, where punctuation comes before the in-text citation.

Writing the conclusion

The conclusion summarizes your body paragraphs’ main points and reiterates your purpose for conducting the interview. You may also want to recommend further research based on what you learned during your interviews. A conclusion will tie together all of these elements, so you must spend some time crafting a strong one that leaves readers satisfied and interested in learning more about your topic.

Typically, the conclusion is the closing part of your body. This section is one or two paragraphs and shows how the responses agree or disagree with your thesis statement. Additionally, this part discusses how and why the interview strengthens or weakens your thesis.

In addition, it must be concise yet comprehensive. Here, you need to summarize and synthesize all the information you have presented in your paper. You may also reflect on what you have learned from the interviewee.

Some tips on how to write an interview paper conclusion include

• Go back and read your introduction to ensure it is clear and concise.
• Write a conclusion summarizing your paper’s main points in a sentence or two.
• Ensure you include all the major points from your body paragraphs (or at least the most important ones).
• Use transitions and connectives like “therefore” and “for example” to help readers understand how everything fits together.
• Don’t end with a boring summary. Instead, end with a strong statement that makes the reader think about what they have just read and perhaps even change their view on something.

Writing the abstract

Having written the main body, the abstract is the next section to write. An abstract is a general summary of your paper, so writing it after the body is recommended. It is also a brief overview of your interview paper’s main points and arguments.

In most cases, it is a 250-word paragraph highlighting the thesis, the reason for the interview, and the impact of the responses.

The best way to write the abstract is to take excerpts from the paper that include the thesis, introduction, and conclusion. Each sentence should address a different aspect of the topic. For example, if you are writing about the impact of social media on teenagers, one paragraph some sentence will address how often they use social media each day, while another might discuss their reasons for using social media so frequently.

Writing the reference page

Writing a reference page is an integral part of any interview paper. It’s where you share the sources you interviewed to write your essay with your readers. Essentially, it is the last page of your paper and has all your sources used in the article.

The reference page should start with the word “References” and be double-spaced. The margins should be one inch on all sides.

Proofread and edit the paper

Now that you’ve done all the hard work, it’s time for a final check to ensure everything is perfect.

Proofread the paper. Check for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Grammarly is a helpful tool for checking your writing for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure mistakes.

Additionally, edit the paper while checking sentence structure and if one point flows smoothly to the next. If possible, have someone else read and check it. This is because they may catch something you didn’t notice. After all, they aren’t familiar with what was said during an interview

Proofreading also involves checking the formatting aspects. To ensure your paper is well-formatted, check these aspects.

• The title page has all information
• The first paragraph is indented
• All pages have a running title
• In-text citations have been used
• There is a reference section
• Each in-text citation is referenced

Additionally, use a word processor to format the paper. While some people still prefer typing things out by hand on paper, a computer will make things easier and ensure all the formatting is correct and consistent throughout your interview paper.

Generally, there are many things to remember when writing an interview paper in APA format. You must keep the formatting correct and consistent from start to finish. Also, remember that using the right style and form will ensure your paper receives a higher grade than if you ignore APA guidelines.

By following these basic instructions, you’ll be able to successfully write an interview paper that follows APA’s format and impresses your instructor. Ideally, write your essay as you would any other but remember to follow the APA rules and to proofread and edit your piece to look professional and avoid errors.

How to Write an Interview in APA Format

• Job Interviews
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How to Write Interview Acknowledgement Letters

Speechwriter job description, how to conduct a consultation interview.

• Forecasting Interview Questions
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When writing an in-depth article, paper or other written work, it may be necessary to interview others to get more information. How to include the contents of the interview varies depending on the style guide you follow for your writing. When using American Psychological Association (APA) style, your interview should either be cited as personal communication or recorded in detail in your text. The APA interview writing format has specific rules for how to write an interview paper.

Explain the Interview

The APA format for interviews expects you to explain the clear purpose of your interview. You should not use an interview for information that can be obtained elsewhere, such as publications or online sources. Before your interview, you should be familiar with the background literature and have clear, concise questions prepared.

Published research does not include a detailed or frank discussion of patient reporting bias in emergency medicine.

Introduce Your Source

Introduce the subject of your interview in-text, describing her qualifications, background and why she is suitable to answer your questions.

I contacted Jane Jones, M.D., Ph.D., for a knowledgeable discussion of patient reporting bias. Dr. Jones is an expert in the field, having practiced for 15 years and published high-profile research studies that accounted for patient reporting bias.

Present the Question

Present the question you asked the interviewee when explaining her response in the text of your paper. This is important to provide the context in which the interviewee presented fact or opinion. Be clear whether the question was open-ended or close-ended.

To assess the methods used to correct for reporting bias, I asked Dr. Jones via telephone, “What are the steps you used in your research to account for reporting bias?” I also asked her to discuss other biases that need to be accounted for in observational studies.

Include Exact Quote

Use quotes, rather than paraphrasing, when citing specific information and facts given by the interviewee. A quote longer than 40 words should be set aside as a block quote, according to APA style.

Dr. Jones answered, “My primary method for correcting reporting bias is a carefully constructed questionnaire in lieu of a free-form patient interview.”

A longer discussion of other biases should be set aside in a block quote.

Properly Cite Your Source

When citing sources using the APA interview format, you must always include an in-text citation in parentheses. The citation must be included directly after a quote or paraphrased text, and include the first initial of the person interviewed, last name, “personal communication” and date the interview took place.

“My primary method for correcting reporting bias is a carefully constructed questionnaire in lieu of a free-form patient interview.” (J. Jones, personal communication, April 9, 2018).

If you mention the interviewee in the text introducing the quote or paraphrased text, their name doesn’t need to be included in the in-text citation.

Dr. Jones contends that a questionnaire allows for more honesty and accuracy in reporting (personal communication, April 9, 2018).

APA interview format does not require a reference to the interview in your reference list since it is not a source that can be found by another person.

• Alliant International University: APA (6th ed.), Citation Style: Citing Personal Communications
• PennState University Libraries: APA Quick Citation Guide
• Include a transcript of the interview or the full text of emails as an addendum to your paper if possible.

Leslie Bloom is a Los Angeles native who has worked everywhere from new start-ups to established corporate settings. In addition to years of business and management experience, she has more than 20 years of experience writing for a variety of online and print publications. She holds degrees in both journalism and law.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite an Interview in APA

How to Cite an Interview in APA

Interviews can be a extremely useful sources of information on almost any topic. Whether it be in the form of a video or an online article, this helpful guide will show you how to cite interviews for your APA-style research paper. All citations follow APA 7th edition.

Guide Overview

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

Citing a personal interview

Citing a published interview, interview published as an online article, interview published as youtube video, interview from a research participant, radio interview recording in a digital archive, troubleshooting.

APA reference lists only include works that can be found by the reader. As a personal interview is not published or “findable,” it should not be included in an APA reference list. Instead, a personal interview should be referenced as a parenthetical citation.

Parenthetical citation example:

(J. Smith, personal communication, May 17, 2008).

Any personal interview conducted via the following methods (and that are unpublished) can be considered personal communication:

• in-person interview
• phone interview
• text messages
• online chats
• unrecorded lectures

If you would like to include a personal interview as part of your APA reference list, then include the interviewee, the date of the interview, and the type of interview.

Interview Citation Structure:

Last name, F. (Year, Month date). Personal communication [Communication type].

Interview Citation Example:

Cloyd, A. (2014, July 29). Personal communication [Personal interview].

MacInnes, P. (2021, August 24). Ellie Simmonds: ‘I’ve found the expectations harder as I’ve got older.’  The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/24/ellie-simmonds-expectations-tokyo-paralympics-interview

In-text citation, parenthetical example:

In-text citation, narrative example:

Reference list entry examples:

60 Minutes Australia. (2018, June 23). Meet the tallest man in the world [Video]. YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjG6qIfoMeI

O’Brien, C. [Team Coco]. (2021, June 11). Tig Notaro full interview – CONAN on TBS [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imMsszmCdr4&nbsp;

Quotations from a research participant are from your original research; therefore, they are not included in the reference list or treated as personal communications. When citing a direct quotation from a participant’s interview, indicate in the text that the quotation is coming from a participant.

In-text example:

Participant “Steven” described his experience at the company as “difficult but rewarding.”

When referencing an interview that is housed in a digital or a physical archive, you must credit the interviewee as the author.

Krashen, S. (1983, May 4). The basics of writing [Interview]. USC Archive; University of Southern California. https://libraries.usc.edu/locations/special-collections-department/university-archives

Here’s a quick video overview of how to cite an interview in APA:

Solution #1: How to cite a text message or personal email in APA

Personal emails or text messages are considered forms of personal communication. Since they are unpublished and cannot be accessed by anyone else, they should not be included on the reference sheet. An in-text citation should be made indicating that it was obtained through personal communication, including the person’s name and the date that the communication happened.

(Email writer’s first initial and last name, personal communication, date message was received in Month Day, Year format)

(A. Washington, personal communication, December 10, 2021)

Solution #2: How to cite a professor’s lecture you attended in-person in APA

Unless the lecture has been recorded and published, notes and quotes collected from a lecture are considered forms of personal communication. Therefore, it does not need to be included on your reference sheet according to APA guidelines. An in-text citation should be made indicating that the information or quote was obtained through personal communication, the date it was retrieved, and the professor’s name.

In-text citation structure & example:

(Professor’s first initial and last name, personal communication, date of lecture in Month Day, Year format)

(P. Espinoza, personal communication, April 30, 2019)

If it is required to cite the lecture in the reference sheet, the entry needs to include the same information.

Reference list entry structure & example:

Professor’s last name, first initial. (Year, Month Day). Personal Communication. [Lecture]

Espinoza, P. (2019, April 30). Personal Communication. [Lecture]

If the lecture has been recorded and is available online, it must be included in the reference sheet and is no longer considered a form of personal communication.

Professor’s last name, first initial. (Year, Month Day). Lecture name. Source of publication. URL.

Espinoza, P. (2019, April 30). Mesopotamia. University of Chegg. https://example.website.here.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all APA Examples

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To cite an online interview, you need to know what format the interview is in. Was it an online video? An online article? A podcast? Whatever the medium (video, article, podcast, etc.), create a citation as you would normally for that medium.  The author is usually the interviewer’s (or publishing company’s) name.

In-text citation template and examples:

When citing information from an interview, make it clear who the interviewee (the person being interviewed) was. If you are citing a quote, include the location of where the quote came from. That could be a page number (p. 22), paragraph number (para. 12), or timestamp (1:42).

Here is an example of a video interview on YouTube.

Author Surname or Organization (Publication Year)

Manufacturing Intellect (2020) published a video of Romney Wheeler interviewing Bertrand Russell.

Parenthetical:

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

In one interview with Romeny Wheely, the philosopher Bertrand Russell said, “I wanted to know whether there is any truth in realities known, and I thought if there was any, it’s probably in mathematics” (Manufacturing Intellect, 2020, 8:58-9:05).

Reference list entry template and example:

Author Name. (Date published). Title of the video [Format]. Video Site Name. URL

Manufacturing Intellect. (2020, July 10). A conversation with Bertrand Russell [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL_sMXfzzyA (Original work broadcast in 1952)

An interview is a talk or an exchange of information via electronic media. An interview can be published or unpublished, depending upon the type and nature of the interview. Interviews can be any of the following types:

Published interview

Personal interview

Interview of participants in a study

Interviews appearing in newspapers, magazines, television programs, YouTube videos, podcasts, and radio broadcasting will fall under this category. Here is a template and an example of how a published interview is cited in the text:

(Author Last Name, date of interview)

(Fuller, 2018)

If you get details through emails or phone calls to make the statement in your paper effective, you need to cite them as “personal communication,” since they cannot be published. A few examples of interviews that need to be treated as personal communications include:

• interview on the telephone
• text messages or emails

(Author Last Name, personal communication, date of interview)

(Sethusankar, personal communication, December 2, 2016)

If you interview your participants as a part of your study, APA style doesn’t require you to cite them. However, follow the APA guidelines on how to present the interview of participants.

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How to Cite an Interview in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

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How to Cite an Interview

How to note the type of interview, when to use an interview, before you do an interview.

The reference list of a paper in APA contains a list of sources cited in the paper that can be located by readers. While much of your research may come from books, professional journals, newspapers, and online databases, sometimes you may find yourself needing information from other sources, like interviews.

But if you use information or quotations from an interview with a source, you still must cite the source, how the information was collected, and when the interview was conducted.

So how do you cite a personal interview in APA format?

Because these interviews are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database, they should not be included in your reference section.

When you include details gathered from a personal interview in an academic or professional paper, you should cite the information parenthetically in the main body of your text in a format similar to that of other in-text citations.

There are some basic things you should include in an APA interview citation:

• The first initial and last name of the interviewee
• The date the interview took place
• A note indicating the type of interview

Here is the basic structure you should use:

In the body of your paper, this would look like:

However, i you you include the name of the interview subject in-text to introduce or paraphrase a quote, you do not need to list the source’s name again parenthetically.

For example:

The APA offers some guidelines for how to cite different types of interviews:

• Personal interviews: If your interview was conducted in person or via text or telephone, you should cite the information as a ‘personal communication.’ 
• Emails: Because emails are not retrievable by other readers, the APA considers them to be personal communications. Emails should be cited in-text just as other interview sources and should not be included in your reference list.
• Class lectures: Like emails, information taken from a class lecture, guest lecture, or group discussion cannot be accessed by other readers, so it should be cited as personal communication.
• Research interviews: If you are interviewing a research subject, you will need to preserve the participant’s anonymity for ethical reasons. When referring to a specific participant, whether by summarizing their results or directly quoting their comments, you should be careful not to provide any identifying information. You might simply state that the individual is a research participant, or you can refer to them by non-identifying letters or nicknames (i.e. Student A, Participant B, etc.).

There are several reasons why you might conduct an interview to gather information for your paper. For example:

• You have further questions that you want to ask an expert or researcher 
• Written information on a topic is scant
• You find an expert who can offer specific insights on a topic you cannot find elsewhere

There are some things that you should consider before you reach out to an expert for an interview. First and foremost, do not interview someone about information that is easily available in published sources . You are responsible for conducting background research on a topic and establishing a familiarity with the topic before the interview.

Once you have done a thorough literature review and it becomes clear that there are knowledge gaps in the publicly available information, you may consider reaching out to an expert for additional insight.

When reaching out to a possible interview subject, be sure to approach them respectfully. Make sure to:

• Be observant of their time constraints
• Be willing to interview the subject’s schedule
• Conduct the interview in the manner that best suits the subject’s needs, whether it is by phone, or text
• Have questions prepared in advance
• Send a follow-up note or email thanking them for their time

While APA format dictates that you should not include unpublished interview sources in your reference list, it is important to cite these sources in the text of your paper. By doing so, you will ensure your readers have an understanding of where you got your information. These citations also help readers better appreciate the unique insights these sources add to your arguments.

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2010.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

APA 7th referencing style

• About APA 7th
• Printing this guide
• In-text references
• Direct quotations
• Reference list
• Author information
• Additional referencing information
• Using headings
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• Dictionary or encyclopaedia
• Government legislation

Referencing interviews

Interview recorded and available in an archive, interview with participant(s), as part of your own research.

• Journal article
• Lecture notes and slides
• Legal sources
• Newspaper or magazine article
• Other web sources
• Patents and standards
• Personal communication
• Press (media) release
• Secondary source (indirect citation)
• Social media
• Software and mobile apps
• Specialised health information
• Television program
• Works in non-English languages
• Works in non-English scripts, such as Arabic or Chinese
• If it is a published interview , use the reference type in which you found the interview eg. online video, newspaper article
• For an interview you conduct, use the personal communication reference type format.
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Write an A+ Interview Paper Using Our Tips and Examples

06 September, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Josh Carlyle

You will quickly find yourself with your back to the wall once your teacher assigns you an interview paper. Studying is often a headache by itself, and now you have to conduct interviews. Worse yet, you probably have no idea how you can do this. Luckily, we will tell you how to write an interview paper step by step in this comprehensive guide. So prepare your favorite drink and learn how to write a top-notch interview paper.

What is an Interview Paper?

An interview paper provides an expert opinion on a specific issue. In essence, it is an interview transcript inserted somewhere between the introduction and conclusion of an academic piece.

How long should it be? It depends on the topic and the length of your interview, but most papers are within the length of 2,000 – 5,000 words. What things should you consider before writing an interview paper in the first place? Let’s check them out below.

General Aspects of Writing an Interview Paper

Academic papers require you to provide arguments based on studies, research pieces, statistics, etc. But an interview paper is different – for this type of essay, you will develop assumptions around an expert’s opinion.

Let’s imagine your essay question reads the following: “Should we ban abortions?” If you write an interview paper, you should ask someone high-powered for their consideration. Let them be an executive director of the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society.

You would reach them via email or phone or whatever communication channel you prefer and conduct an interview. Afterward, you would put all your findings on paper.

But in practice, writing an interview paper involves many more complexities and challenges, like planning, topic research , drafting, etc.

Let’s speak straight facts: nobody will reschedule their week to meet you because you need to do some homework. You’re one of the millions of students, and the local governor or a famous scientist won’t give you an interview nine times out of ten.

So you would want to target someone less busy, like professors from other faculties of your college or some researchers within your academic environment. Hunting a bigger fish is pointless unless you’re a well-established journalist working for a popular media channel. If you struggle to find someone within your college/university, you can contact people from your circle.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Interview Paper

 As you know, a typical paper consists of three parts:

• Introduction. This part includes background information, the hook, the thesis statement, and the transition.
• Body. It is the longest part of the paper consisting of several paragraphs. It should contain the actual interview.
• Conclusion. The final part summarizes the considerations and insights of your essay.

The question is: ‘where should you put an interview transcript and how do you do this?’

To answer this question, you need to come up with the interview papers format in the first place. There are several of them:

The narrative format implies that you can use either direct or indirect speech when referring to your interviewee. If you choose this path, you can stick to a 5-paragraph essay structure, retell the considerations of your interviewee, and cite their words here and there at your discretion.

You can also choose this format if you contact several people. Check what a narrative interview paper structure looks like when you reach out to several people:

• Introduction.
• Paragraph #1 – the first interviewee’s perspective.
• Paragraph #2 – the second interviewee’s opinion.
• Paragraph #3 – the third interviewee’s thoughts.
• Conclusion.

Alternatively, you can dedicate each paragraph to a particular idea of one person.

“Question and answer” will suit your needs perfectly if you interview one person. It is the simplest format used in online magazines, news reports, and other media. Your interview paper outline will look like this:

• Introduction
• Question #1 – Answer #1
• Question #2 – Answer #2
• Question #3 – Answer #3
• Question #4/5/6/etc. – Answer #4/5/6/etc.
• Interview analysis. You may include your thoughts on the subject matter.

Conversational

Conversational style is informal, and you can use either first-person or second-person narrative and follow a typical 5-paragraph paper structure. But writing interview papers in this lousy style might be perplexing, especially if you deal with this task for the first time.

We advise you to try the Q&A format because it’s the simplest one and takes the least time. Just imagine how much time your paper writing will take if you decide to interview three or five people.

How to Start an Interview Paper?

If you have no idea how to start an interview paper, choose the topic first. Selecting a topic for your interview paper is not a big deal, but you should keep in mind that you may not find appropriate interviewees for it.

Let’s imagine you want to explore whether the government should force people to get vaccines. This topic implies that you need to contact authorities. It might be a local lawyer, governor, or executive director of a local hospital. Well, the chances are these people will politely refuse to give an interview for your homework.

But if you choose to investigate how lockdown impacts intellectual workers, you can contact your friends or family members who work at home. In other words, it’s better to choose topics that reflect the experiences of ordinary people rather than the opinions of untouchable experts.

Asking people for their opinion about well-known facts like the Earth’s shape is a bad idea. You would want to choose high-profile debatable topics you can actually discuss.

Establish the Goal of Your Interview Essay

You have to establish the goal of your essay before researching the topic. For this, ask yourself: “What message should your interview essay deliver?” Sometimes, a topic of your choice might already explain the purpose of your essay.

Conduct Research

Interviewing someone implies that you should ask questions. But you will fail to do so if you know little to nothing about your topic. So read some case studies, news, articles, etc. Once you get the picture of your subject matter, you will come up with dozens of interview questions.

Get to Know Your Interviewee

A good interviewer always refers to the life and experience of their interviewee. If you’re lucky to work with someone you can read about on the Internet, find out as much information about them as possible. If your interviewee publishes any books, articles, or studies, you will better know them as well.

The more you know about the person, the more interview questions you can come up with. You can ask them whether the Internet tells their true story: “Is it true that you, Mr. Interviewee, support flat earthers?”

Draft Your Interview Questions

If you want a person to share their in-depth vision of the topic, you need to ask both open-ended and close-ended (“yes/no”) questions. However, you may struggle to prepare interview questions. Many students get stuck during this stage. To overcome this block, you need to learn some types of interview questions:

• Opinion – What do you think of this topic?
• Behavioral – What would you do in this situation?
• Experience and knowledge – What do you know about the subject?
• Background – How are you connected to the subject? What is your age, occupation, etc?
• Emotional – How do you feel about the subject?
• Sensory – What does the subject taste and feel like?

You can also think of the questions following the interviewee’s “yes” and “no” answers.

Tips for Conducting a Successful Interview

These four tips will help you conduct a productive interview on the first try:

1. Plan Your Meeting

Note that you want to interview a person in a quiet place so that nobody will distract you. This might be some cozy book store or a café. Or, you can arrange an online meeting. Make sure you have at least one hour for the interview.

2. Rehearse a bit

If you will conduct your first-ever interview, you want to practice with your friends/significant other/ family in the first place. This approach will help you identify what stage of your upcoming interview may challenge you the most.

3. Record Your Interview

You will forget about 50% of the information within an hour once you finish the interview. So don’t rely on your memory − bring a recorder instead. Why not take notes? You wouldn’t want to go red while asking your interviewee to repeat what they have just said or wait until you write down their answers.

4. Talk to Your Interviewee for a While Before You Begin

Speaking to someone you don’t know might be uncomfortable. You don’t have to attack them with your interview questions straightaway. Instead, you can exchange some casual phrases or discuss the weather. This will help you relieve stress and get comfortable with each other.

5. Explain Your Interview Protocol

It’s better to explain to your interviewee how you will conduct your interview. Tell them that you will use a recorder and introduce the discussion topic.

Interview Papers Format

In academic writing, you have to explain the purpose of your interview and introduce your interviewee in a specific “scholarly” format. The APA format interview paper has the following requirements:

• Use 12-point Times New Roman.
• Write a title page.
• Use double spacing.
• Introduce your interviewee and provide the background information – explain why this person is suitable for the interview. Mention their name and qualifications.
• Use direct quotes if you cite some facts provided by the interviewee.
• Use block quotes for citations longer than 40 words.

How to Write a Title Page?

The title of your paper must include your name, your institution, department, the course name and number, the teacher’s name, and the assignment date. The rules of writing the title page are the following:

• The title page must be numbered.
• Capitalize all major words in your title and make it bold.
• Place the title of the essay three or four lines down the top of the page.
• There must be one empty line before the student’s name.

Interview Papers Examples

If you’re searching for an interview essay example – check several samples below:

• A narrative interview essay .
• A Q&A interview format paper.
• An interview with a scientist.

Interview Papers Writing Tips

The following writing tips will help you deliver the first-class interview paper:

• Write the introduction at the end. Once you finish your essay, you will likely reconsider some ideas you had before you began. They will help you frame your interview essay with a captivating introduction and conclusion.
• Give yourself a break after finishing your final draft. This will help you look at your paper with a fresh pair of eyes once you start editing.
• Edit one type of error at a time. For example, you can reduce logical errors first and switch to grammatical mistakes afterward.
• Use an active voice. If active voice makes your sentence shorter, use it without hesitation.
• Check for any sample interview paper to decide on the interview questions. Perhaps, some pieces will spark your interest.

Writing Help by Handmadewriting

An interview paper doesn’t seem that intimidating once you learn how to write it step by step. First, you have to choose the subject that allows you to interview ordinary people rather than hard-to-reach ones. Then, you need to research your topic, conduct an interview, and write a paper.

You can get an A+ for this assignment with enough effort and dedication. But a doable task doesn’t necessarily mean that you must do it by yourself. If you have plenty of other assignments to do, you can ask our essay writers to craft an exemplary interview paper for you. For this, you can place an order on our website, and we will do all the dirty work.

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