When you’re writing an academic paper, you usually need to consult materials and sources that are not easily available in the commercial publishing arena. You might find helpful resources in academic publishing. But apart from that, we still have a group of works not included even in the academic distribution channels. These are what we call grey literature.
What is grey literature?
Grey literature refers to materials that organizations produce outside of the traditional channels for academic and commercial publishing. These organizations include government agencies and departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil groups, academic departments and centers, consultants, and private companies.
These publications may be distributed in a private manner within the said organization or group. It may also be made available to the public. Because it usually doesn’t have a systematic process of collection and distribution, the quality standard and production of these papers vary greatly.
Charles P. Auger was the researcher who first coined the term “grey literature.” He used the term to refer to notes and intelligence reports on atomic research, which the Allied Forces produced a vast quantity of during World War II.
He first used the term “grey literature” in a conference with the British Lending Libray Division back in 1978. He described these as a “vast body of documents” that continually increased in quantity, and which served a bit of a challenge to the librarian.
His main description of these kinds of documents include the following elements: temporary nature, durability, and an increasing impact on scientific research.
What are examples of grey literature?
Among the common publication types that fall under grey literature are:
- Research and project reports
- Annual reports or activity reports
- Theses
- Working papers
- Conference proceedings
- Newsletters
- Government documents
- Data and statistics
- Evaluations
- Field Notes
- Lecture Notes
In recent years, we might also consider some online sources as grey literature, such as blogs, email discussion lists, discussion forums, Twitter tweets, Wikis, and press releases.
The Main Benefits of Grey Literature
The main reasons why organizations produce grey literature include the following:
To record data in emerging or niche research areas
When an organization produces a certain report, it usually has the aim of recording the findings for their internal use, or for recording it with the purpose of sharing it with a wider audience.
This may be as simple as data recording on a project or site, such as survey results, archaeological findings, working papers, etc. Or it might include an explanation behind the occurrence of certain events. Sometimes it may also be to record findings from research that produce negative results.
To share information quickly and easily
When a piece of grey literature is intended to be shared, it may be as simple as stating information for general awareness, or it may include advocating for changes in the public realm, such as in legislation or public policy.
The advantage of going through the grey literature route is that you can get around the time and resource restrictions typical of book publishing and academic journal publication. This way, the organization or individual doesn’t need to spend big bucks as is the case with traditional publishing.
To share more current information
Research literature that go through formal publishing channels typically take a longer time to reach a reader’s hands. This is because peer review is usually necessary for journals, and commercial publishing goes through extensive editorial processes.
To connect with a more diverse set of authors and organizations
When you choose to access grey literature, you are reading material whose authors may not have the capacity to go through commercial publishing, but nonetheless may be good quality output.
The Challenges of Grey Literature
On the other hand, grey literature also faces the following challenges:
Not easy to find and evaluate
Since grey literature is typically produced by private organizations, they may not always be easy to find and evaluate. But if you have sound research strategies in place, you can get around these difficulties.
In fact, towards the late 1990s, many universites, businesses, and government bodies have published more of their reports and made their documents available online, making them easier to find and access.
Lack of clear organization
First, understand that grey literature tends to lack strict bibliographic control. For example, it may not always be easy to know who the author is, or when the piece was done.
Next, grey literature is typically limited by a lack of professional organization. They are commonly characterized by nonprofessional layouts, low print runs, and distribution challenges. Because they don’t go through traditional publishing processes, you also forego the power of peer reviews and professional editing and fact-checking.
Where to Find Grey Literature
The good news is that in recent years, many libraries and databases already made it a point to collect grey literature, both in digital and print formats, and made it available for the public. Of course, that has not yet removed the challenge of finding larger collections. Here are some of the best places to find them:
1. The British Library
You can find plenty of print grey literature published in the period after World War II at The British Library, and also has a wide selection of print resources.
2. Analysis & Policy Observatory
If you are looking for grey literature on public policy issues, the Analysis & Policy Observatory (APO) is a good source to check out.
3. ArXiv.org
If you’re looking for preprints on themes revolving around physics as well as other sciences, check out ArXiv.Org e-Print Archive.
4. RePEc: Research Papers in Economics
For those needing to find economics working papers, RePEC has a collection of these types of grey litetaure.
5. ROAR and OpenDOAR
The Registry of Open Acces Repositories and Open DOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories) two sources are directories that provides open access to subject and institutional repositories, which include some pieces of grey literature.
6. CrossRef
CrossRef.Org contains records that publishers deposit into the system. This type of open archives may usually be accessed through academic search engines, too.
Finding and Using Grey Literature
Knowing how to find and use grey literature can be greatly beneficial to any research you are working on. The key is knowing where to access them, and use your discretion to check on their accuracy.
If you are on the writing end of things, you might consider putting some of your work out, forgoing the traditional publishing route and opting to make it available as grey literature, if you feel that doing so will serve your audience in the best way possible.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How to Write a Research Proposal: 8 Key Sections to Include
- How to Write a Literature Review: 5 Steps for Clear and Meaningful Research
- How to Write a Research Paper in 6 Steps
- 31 Best Online Research Tools
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
