Library FAQs

Personal communications may be useful sources for some of your papers; an example might be an interview with an experienced nurse in a specialty for a nursing history paper on the evolution of that nursing specialty.  Your teachers can help you decide if a personal communication is appropriate to use as a source for your particular assignment. If you do need to cite personal communications, here are two reputable sources with relevant information and examples: 

• The APA Style page Personal Communications states that personal communications are works that can't be retrieved by the reader. Examples includes emails, text messages, online chats or direct messages, phone conversations, personal interviews, and letters.  Personal communications are not included in the reference list (unlike other types of sources). Instead, cite the personal communication only in your text, either as a narrative or parenthetical citation, using the examples on the Personal Communications page.
• The Purdue OWL page Reference List: Other Non-Print Sources provides information and examples in the section "Personal communication." 

For more APA citation help, see the library's Citation Help: APA page or Ask a Librarian.