InfoSkills for Economics and Management

Grey literature explained: What it is and why it’s useful

Grey (or gray) literature refers to materials produced by organizations whose main function is not publishing. It encompasses sources outside traditional publishing channels—hence the term, which contrasts with "white" literature, the traditionally published scholarly work once typically printed on white paper.

Since grey literature is created without the involvement of traditional publishers, it doesn’t have to adhere to the strict guidelines and processes required for academic journals or books. This independence allows for greater flexibility in terms of the content it includes and the format it takes, which can vary widely. Grey literature is often distributed exclusively online and can be shared quickly and easily.

Grey literature can be very useful for research because it often contains up-to-date, practical, or detailed information not published in conventionally published academic sources.

Creators of grey literature

Grey literature typically comes from:

• Universities create grey literature such as research reports, theses, and conference papers, often shared through institutional repositories (archives) or websites.
• Government departments or agencies.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGO's) operating worldwide.
• Research institutes.
• Professional and scholarly associations: organizations that support and promote a specific profession or academic field.
• Think tanks: organizations offering insights and solutions for specific political or economic issues.
• Non-profit organizations: organizations that work to support a cause or provide services without aiming to make a profit.
• Committees: groups made up of experts who generate reports, policy, recommendations, or guidelines on specific issues.
• Businesses and industries. 

Source types included in grey literature

Grey literature includes, but is not limited to:

• Working papers: preliminary versions of scholarly journal articles, typically shared on dedicated websites to allow other researchers to review and provide feedback before formal publication.
• Reports: documents created by governments, nongovernmental organizations, non-profit organizations, committees, or companies that provide information or analysis on specific topics or issues.
• Research reports: documents that describe the entire process of a research study, from its initial planning to final results.
• Conference papers: academic papers presented at conferences, often not published in books or journals. Recent conference papers are particularly valuable as they feature up-to-date research.
• Annual reports: detailed summaries of a company’s or organization’s activities and performance over the past year.
• Factsheets: brief documents that present essential information and key points about a topic in a clear and straightforward format.
• Podcasts.
• Blogs and social media.
• Content or articles on news websites.
• Policy reports: in-depth analyses of a nation's key domestic and foreign policy issues, providing background information and recommendations for policymakers and the public.
• Consultancy reports: documents created by consulting firms that provide expert analysis, advice, and recommendations to address specific business or organizational challenges.
• Market reports: documents that provide information and analysis about a specific industry, product, or market, including trends, performance, and forecasts.
• Discussion papers: present an issue or idea to encourage analysis, feedback, and debate. 
• Theses [scripties]: in-depth research papers written by students for bachelor's or master's degrees.
• Press releases and newsletters.
• Statistical resources.
• Data sets: organized collections of related facts or measurements gathered during research, often arranged in tables, and used for analysis.
• Position papers: brief documents that outline an organization'sn organization's stance, policy, or philosophy on a particular subject. 
• Preprints: the first versions of articles written by researchers and sent to a journal. They haven’t been checked by other experts yet (peer review).
• Postprints: articles that have undergone peer review and have been revised based on feedback. However, they haven’t been copy-edited, paginated and fully formatted for publication.
• White papers: in-depth reports that clarify an issue or problem, helping the reader understand it and guiding them toward a specific decision.

What about Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is a useful starting point when exploring a new topic. Watch this 1.11-minute video to learn about its strengths and limitations, as well as tips for using it effectively (no sound needed).

Keep in mind Wikipedia is not considered a reliable (academic) source, so be sure to ask your teacher if it's acceptable to cite it in your work.