How Do You Find Grey Literature?

Most grey literature will not be organized or indexed in traditional databases so it can be challenging to locate. However, there are some strategies that can help you find relevant information.

• Think about what organizations may do research on or work in the area you are studying such as: 
• Government Agencies
• Professional Associations
• Companies
• Non-Governmental Organizations
• Research Institutes
• These organizations may have institutional repositories either physically within their organization or available online that you can search. You may even want to contact the organization or specific researchers to enquire about what information is available. 
• If the organizations do not have archives available online or you are not sure where to start, specialized Google searches, shown in the video below, can help.
• When you are searching, you should use subject keywords, like in a normal database, as well as words like “report” or names of other types of documents you may be looking for like “dissertation.”
• Ask for help! Subject librarians may have knowledge of specialized sources for the field or topic you are studying and can point you in the right direction.

Royal Roads University Library

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