List the last name of the author, followed by a comma.
List "personal communication" followed by a comma.
List the month, day and year on which the personal correspondence was written.
Arrange these elements in order within parentheses. (Smith, personal communication, July 8, 2010)
Place your citation directly after the quoted or paraphrased passage in your text. For example: One letter went so far as to state that "the new plan is essentially the old plan in gauze clothing" (Smith, personal communication, July 8, 2010). Do not include an entry in your reference list for personal correspondence. According to APA guidelines, an in-text citation is sufficient.
List the last name of the author in parentheses to cite personal correspondence within the text. For example: One letter went so far as to state that "the new plan is essentially the old plan in gauze clothing" (Smith).
Begin your reference list entry with the name of the author. For example: Smith, Adam.
List the title of the document in quotation marks if you are citing an email. For example: "About Tuesday." If you are citing a letter, skip this step.
List a description of the source, followed by a period. If you are citing an email, this should appear as follows: Message to the author. If you are citing a letter, this should appear as follows: Letter to the author.
List the date on which the correspondence was written in a day-month-year format, followed by a period. The names of months should be abbreviated. For example: 8 Jul. 2010.
List the type of correspondence, followed by a period. This should appear as "Email" or "Letter."
Ensure that the finished citation for an email appears in the following format: Smith, Adam. "About Tuesday." Message to the author. 8 Jul. 2010. Email. If you are citing a letter, the finished citation should appear in the following format: Smith, Adam. Letter to the author. 8 Jul. 2010. Letter.