Q. What is "grey literature" and how can I find it?

Typically, grey literature are items published outside of traditional book and journal publishing. They are typically not peer reviewed, although they may be, and can often come from government bodies and organizations. Grey literature can include:

• Regulatory data
• Government publications
• NGO reports
• White papers or working papers
• Dissertations and theses
• Newsletters
• Patents
• Policies and procedures
• Conference abstracts, papers, and presentations
• Standards and guidelines

Finding these kinds of items can depend on either the discipline (engineering, psychology, criminal justice, environmental science) and the format (dissertations, reports, data.)

Some library databases include specific filters to locate some kinds of grey literature, and some disciplines have specific websites or organizational archives that focus on gray literature.

If you need help coming up with a search strategy, you can always contact us for an individual consultation.

You can learn more from the Wikipedia page about Grey Literature (see below).