Grey Literature

Grey literature is an important source of information because you could find unique content not covered in traditional scholarly materials. They may focus on the practical application of theory making them excellent sources to discover what’s trending in your industry. These documents are typically produced and disseminated quickly in contrast to research published in books and journals. As a result, content in grey literature may be more current, but they don't necessarily undergo a review process like peer review. Grey literature sources are often freely accessible online, but they can be tricky to find on Google.

Grey literature sources have a range of authors including these common creators:

• Academic institutions
• Agencies
• Government websites
• Institutional repositories
• Non-profit organizations
• Professional associations
• Research centres

Websites of government organizations, non-profits, and academic institutions are good places to search for grey literature. Some library databases may include these types of sources too. To find them quickly online, use these Google tips and tricks:

• Grey literature may be posted on websites as PowerPoint presentations, PDF documents, images, and reports. Google can search for specific file types by using this "filetype:" feature. For example, you could build a keyword search with filetype:PDF to retrieve these kinds of materials.
• You may want to restrict your search to a specific website domain given that creators of grey literature are commonly government agencies, organizations, and academic institutions. Use "site:edu" in your search box to locate websites from educational institutions.

Take careful notes and record what you need from grey literature. Documents posted online can be removed at any time so save relevant sources to your computer and write down detailed notes. Review these notetaking strategies for tips on how to keep track of the information.

If you decide to use grey literature in your assignment, evaluate the source to ensure that what you're citing is reliable and trustworthy. Refer to Sheridan Library’s Evaluating Websites Guide for tips on how to select quality sources. Consider these questions before using grey literature in your assignment:

• Does the document share original ideas, evidence, and arguments not available in scholarly sources?
• Do you know the author of the document? If yes, is the author affiliated with a company, publisher, or organization?
• Is the purpose of the document to inform or to spread an agenda?
• Who is the intended reader of the document? e.g. students/professors
• Does the website contain ads or pop-ups? Are they trying to make money?
• Are there multiple spelling errors or broken links in the source?
• Are other sources cited in the document?