2. Definition of Grey Literature
The Fourth International Conference on Grey Literature (GL
'99) in Washington, DC, in October 1999 defined grey literature
as:
"That which is produced on all levels of government,
academics, business and industry in print and electronic
formats, but which is not controlled by commercial publishers”
(Greylit.org)
Reference: What is grey literature? (2017, January 29). Retrieved from http://www.greylit.org/about
3. What is it?
• Academic reports
• Business reports
• Industry reports
• Government reports
• Thesis
• Conference proceedings
• Documents NOT published by a known, established, or
commercial publisher
4. Where to look?
• Internet Searching
• Websites of Specialty Organizations
• Google Scholar
• Government websites
• Canadian Electronic Library
• SaskPolytech Library Database: Canadian Research
Index
5. Canadian Research Index
What is it?
• Grey literature database of federal, provincial, and
municipal documents and reports
• From government agencies and departments
• From research institutes, government laboratories
• Policies
• Statistical, technical and scientific reports
6. Canadian Health Grey Literature
• National Aboriginal Health Organization
• Canadian Institute of Health Research
• Canadian Institute Health Information
• CADTH
• Health Canada
• Many more
7. Other Sources of Health Grey
Literature
• The Grey Literature Report
• American Indian Health
• World Health Organization
• Open Grey EU
8. Grey Literature for Integrative Health
Research
• National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health
(US Government)
• Integrative Health Institute (U of Alberta)
• Center for Integrative Medicine (U of Maryland)
• Center of Excellence for Research & Training in Integrative
Health (UC San Diego)
• And there are others…
9. Advanced Google & Google Scholar
An internet search may yield research organizations, centres
or institutes that publish research on your topic.
1. Create a search strategy for your internet search
2. Document your findings for a consistent and systematic
search
3. Investigate the organization to ensure they are credible
sources of information
10. Step 1: Internet Search Strategy
Acupuncture Research
• No other related or similar terms
for this concept
• Research Center
• Research Institute
• Organization
• Evidence
Advanced Google:
1. Site: .edu, .org, .gov,
2. Try Google UK, Google Australia, Google USA etc.
Create a search strategy of key words and related terms because different
words and combinations will give you different results.
11. Step 2: Tracking the Search
Results
Keywords Used Number of
Results
Credible
Websites Found
(after reviewing
first 3 pages)
Notes
Acupuncture &
research
site : .edu
104,000 Naeser
Acupuncture
Research
Susan Samueli
Center for
Integrative
Medicine
Wellness &
Integrative
Health Center
Has PDFs of
research
publications
List of research
publications
Links to research
publications
Editor's Notes
Grey Lit: bi-monthly publication, catalogs information from various organizations, NY Academy of Medicine