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ENVP 326: People, Politics, and Parks

What Is Gray Literature?

Grey literature is the unpublished, hard-to-find information that organizations such as professional associations, research institutes, think tanks, nonprofits, NGOs, and government departments produce.

It can be invaluable to your research: it is part of the overall evidence base and functions as an alternative source that may be used to overcome possible bias presented by published information.

Examples of gray literature:

  • Reports
  • Brochures
  • Organizational websites
  • Social media posts
  • Policy papers
  • Newsletters
  • Committee reports
  • Meeting notes

How to Find Gray Literature

  1. Search OAIster, a database of open access collections.
  2. Use a general search engine like Google to identify NGOs and nonprofits, and then go to their websites.  Examples:
    1. Panthera
    2. International Tiger Project
    3. World Wildlife Fund