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BUSN/ECON 380: Research Methods in Business/Economics

What is Grey Literature?

What is Grey Literature?

Documents that may be produced by academics, governments, business, industry, and independent researchers, but is not controlled by commercial publishers.
Non-conventional, fugitive, and sometimes ephemeral publications.  Often produced with NGOs, non profits, UN agencies, think tanks, etc.

Examples include:

  • pre-print reports, preliminary progress and advanced reports
  • conference proceedings and papers
  • market research reports
  • annual reports of business and industry
  • technical and statistical reports, specifications, standards
  • white papers
  • technical and commercial documentation
  • official documents not published commercially (government reports & documents)

from http://www.greylit.org/about

Finding Grey Literature Evaluating Grey Literature
Use Google  keyword(s) + site:.org Read their mission
Bibliographies Examine funding Sources
Organizations suggested below Explore author credentials and date published