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Grey literature

Find literature that is not available in traditional channels of publishing and distribution.

Developing a grey literature search plan

Grey literature:

  • is broad and amorphous
  • can be overwhelming to search without a clear goal

Keep in mind what type of research information that you are after and use this to help plan where you search.

  1. Start with known resources, other than the general internet.
  2. When you have exhausted these options then try searching the general internet.

Keep in mind collections that have been already filtered. For example:

Creating a grey literature strategy

  1. Start with highly filtered materials, whether it is a specific database, or a repository.
  2. Search for material from less specific resources. Look for specialised databases or resources in your discipline. Use our subject guides for ideas for resources to use.
  3. Start from the highest quality or most filtered to the least, such as web browsers.

Types of resources to examine

  • Databases
  • Library catalogues
  • Academic repositories
  • Organisational websites
  • Internet search engines