What is Grey Literature
Definition of Grey Literature: “Grey literature stands for manifold document types produced on all levels of government, academics, business and industry in print and electronic formats that are protected by intellectual property rights, of sufficient quality to be collected and preserved by library holdings or institutional repositories, but not controlled by commercial publishers i.e., where publishing is not the primary activity of the producing body.” (Schöpfel, 2010, p.1)
"These documents are not classified, confidential or protected someway (“black literature”) but open source material. Often, the information professional knows that these items exist, that they have been disseminated (often in small numbers) and are available – but the problem is how to get them because they cannot be acquired through the usual commercial channels of the scientific information market, like books or journals (“white literature”). (Schöpfel, 2019, p. 137)
Grey literature encompasses a vast array of information that is produced outside of traditional commercial publishing channels. This category includes, but is not limited to, reports, theses, conference proceedings, white papers, government documents, policy statements, and other materials that may not be readily available through standard academic databases or publishing platforms.
Identifying and accessing grey literature can be challenging due to its diverse nature and the variety of formats in which it exists. However, it is a valuable resource for researchers seeking comprehensive insights, as it often contains cutting-edge findings, preliminary data, or region-specific information not yet published in formal academic journals.
This guide aims to assist you in understanding the scope of grey literature, the strategies for effectively identifying it, and the sources where such material can be located. By navigating these resources, you will be better equipped to uncover a wealth of information that might otherwise remain hidden in the margins of scholarly research.
References
Schöpfel, J. (2010). Towards a Prague definition of grey literature. In 12th International Conference on Grey Literature. Prague, 6-7 December 2010. https://greynet.org/images/GL12_S1P,_Sch_pfel.pdf
Schöpfel, J. (2019). Grey literature and professional knowledge making. In L. Börjesson & I. Huvila (Eds.), Research Outside The Academy: Professional Knowledge-Making in the Digital Age (pp. 137-153). London: Palgrave Macmillan. https://hal.science/hal-01872353/document
