Grey literature refers to information produced outside traditional commercial publishing and distribution channels. It includes documents and information produced by not-for-profit organisations, governments and academic institutions.
Examples of grey literature include:
Grey literature is usually published faster than information through commercial channels and can reach a wider audience because it's not behind a paywall. However, it can be harder for users to find compared to commercially published information.
Grey literature is used to address specific research and practice-based inquiries. It can provide a more complete view of a topic through diverse perspectives from practitioners and non-academic specialists.
Grey literature provides access to:
Grey literature can also address publication bias. Traditional publishing favours research with positive results, such as a successful trial of a new therapy, excluding valuable insights from studies with negative or inconclusive outcomes.