How to Cite a Email or Personal Communication in APA 7th Edition

This guide explains how to format a email or personal communication citation in APA 7th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a email or personal communication in APA 7th Edition:

Template

Not listed in references. Cite in text only: (A. A. Author, personal communication, Month Day, Year)

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(J. Smith, personal communication, March 15, 2026)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

No reference list entry. Emails are cited as personal communications in the text only because they are not recoverable by the reader.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Confirm it qualifies as personal communication
Emails, text messages, private letters, phone calls, and unrecorded interviews are all personal communications in APA because they are not recoverable by the reader.
2
Use in-text citation only
Do not create a reference list entry. Personal communications appear only in the text of the paper.
3
Include the sender's initial(s) and last name
Use the first initial(s) and last name of the person who sent the email: (J. Smith, personal communication, ...).
4
Add the full date
Include the month, day, and year of the email: (J. Smith, personal communication, March 15, 2026).
5
Integrate naturally into the text
You can also use a narrative format: J. Smith (personal communication, March 15, 2026) noted that the deadline was extended.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating a reference list entry for an email; APA does not include personal communications in the reference list.
Omitting the full date of the email in the in-text citation.
Using only the last name without the initial(s) in the in-text citation; personal communications require the initial(s).
Citing a mass-distributed email or listserv message as a personal communication; these have a different, retrievable format.
Forgetting that personal communications include not only email but also text messages, phone calls, and private online chats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are emails not included in the APA reference list?

APA requires that reference list entries be retrievable by the reader. Because emails are private communications between individuals, other readers cannot access them, so they are excluded from the reference list.

What about emails sent to a mailing list or listserv?

If the email was sent to a publicly archived mailing list or listserv, it is considered retrievable and should be cited with a full reference entry using the online forum/listserv format, not as a personal communication.

Can I cite an email from an organization rather than an individual?

Yes. Use the organization name in place of the individual's name: (National Science Foundation, personal communication, January 10, 2026). The same rules apply: in-text only, no reference list entry.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your email or personal communication:

Sender
Recipient
Subject
Date

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Step-by-Step Guide

Confirm it qualifies as personal communication

Emails, text messages, private letters, phone calls, and unrecorded interviews are all personal communications in APA because they are not recoverable by the reader.

Use in-text citation only

Do not create a reference list entry. Personal communications appear only in the text of the paper.

Include the sender's initial(s) and last name

Use the first initial(s) and last name of the person who sent the email: (J. Smith, personal communication, ...).

Add the full date

Include the month, day, and year of the email: (J. Smith, personal communication, March 15, 2026).

Integrate naturally into the text

You can also use a narrative format: J. Smith (personal communication, March 15, 2026) noted that the deadline was extended.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating a reference list entry for an email; APA does not include personal communications in the reference list.

Omitting the full date of the email in the in-text citation.

Using only the last name without the initial(s) in the in-text citation; personal communications require the initial(s).

Citing a mass-distributed email or listserv message as a personal communication; these have a different, retrievable format.

Forgetting that personal communications include not only email but also text messages, phone calls, and private online chats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are emails not included in the APA reference list?

What about emails sent to a mailing list or listserv?

Can I cite an email from an organization rather than an individual?

Yes. Use the organization name in place of the individual's name: (National Science Foundation, personal communication, January 10, 2026). The same rules apply: in-text only, no reference list entry.