What should I do when citing sources without page numbers?

When citing sources without page numbers, such as webpages or e-books, utilize alternative locators consistently according to your citation style guide. It is both feasible and necessary to provide readers with sufficient information to locate the referenced content. Key principles include establishing consistency throughout your reference list and in-text citations. Identify relevant and stable alternatives like paragraph numbers (if numbered explicitly), section headings, chapter titles, or descriptive locators (e.g., "under Introduction"). Avoid inventing page numbers. Most major author-date citation systems (e.g., APA) specifically accommodate this scenario in their manuals. Implement this by selecting the most precise available locator. For example, APA Style uses the abbreviation "para." for paragraphs (e.g., (Smith, 2020, para. 5)) or descriptive phrases based on section headings (e.g., (Smith, 2020, Introduction section)). If no stable locators exist, clearly indicate the source lacks pagination where applicable (e.g., (n. pag.) in some older MLA formats) or rely solely on the author-date. This practice maintains academic integrity and enables source verification.