Consult the APA style guide for written material on social sciences. APA does not require professional discussions to be listed among an article's other references. Instead, they are referred to in the body of the article in parenthetical references. The correct format is to place the first initial and last name of the source followed by a comma and the words, "personal communication," followed by another comma and the date of the communication. For example, if you interviewed a scientist named Amelia Johnson on March 5, 2011, the parenthetical citation will look like this: (A. Johnson, personal communication, March 5, 2011). APA also recommends that writers introduce these sources and include details about why they were cited. When you introduce a source by name, you do not have to cite the name in the parenthetical citation. For example, you could write, "Amelia Johnson, a molecular biologist, points out that many genes experience mutations (personal communication, March 5, 2011)."
Use the MLA style guide for topics in the field of humanities, particularly for works relating to language or literature. MLA requires that professional discussions be cited on a "Works Cited" page as well as in parenthetical citations. For parenthetical citations, simply give the last name of the author. When citing professional discussions on the "Works Cited" page, give the last name and first name of the source separated by a comma and followed by a period, the type of communication followed by another period and the date of the discussion. MLA format requires that the day come before the month in dates. For example, when citing an interview with an expert named Mary Smith from May 1, 2010, the citation would look like this: Smith, Mary. Telephone Interview. 1 May 2010. Note that MLA format requires that the specific context in which the discussion occurred must be cited. If you conducted an interview, note whether it occurred over the phone with, "telephone interview" or in person with, "personal interview." Professional meetings can be cited a, "personal communication."
Refer to the Chicago Manual Style, a guide published by the University of Chicago and widely used in academic and commercial publishing, when writing works in the arts and humanities fields. Rather than parenthetical citations, Chicago style uses footnotes. In the footnote, place the name of the person conducting the professional discussion, the name of the person who interviewed them or witnessed the discussion, the date of the discussion and the place of the discussion. For example, a footnote could read, "Mark Smith, interview by Mary Doe, 16 May 2011, University of Chicago." Do not cite unpublished professional discussions on the bibliography page.