Grey literature includes reports, theses, proceedings and other documents produced by government, academics, and industry that are not published by commercial publishers. It can be found through searching the internet, specialty organization websites, government websites and databases like the Canadian Research Index. The Canadian Research Index specifically indexes federal, provincial and municipal grey literature documents and reports from government agencies and research institutes in Canada. Grey literature on health topics can be found from sources like Health Canada, national health organizations and research centers focused on areas like integrative health. Advanced searching of Google and Google Scholar using search strategies and tracking results can help uncover additional grey literature from research organizations.

1. Grey Literature
Chau Ha, MLIS, BScN
Saskatchewan Polytechnic Library

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