Grey Literature

GREY LITERATURE-DEFINITION
• The Fourth International Conference on Grey Literature (GL '99) in
Washington, DC, in October 1999 defined grey literature as follows:
"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.“

• According to Tenth edition of Harrod’s librarians glossary and reference

books, Grey literature is “Semi-Published material, for example reports,
internal documents, theses etc not formally published or available
commercially, and consequently difficult to trace bibliographically.

• According to Library and information Science A general

Knowledge encyclopaedia defines Grey literature as “The unpublished
documents produces in limited quantities for specific purpose,
belonging to ‘development’ literature in the field of social sciences”
 Conti……..

• According to dictionary for Library and Information Science gray

literature as “ Printed works such as reports, preprints, international
documents, PhD Dissertations, masters theses and conference
proceedings, not readily available through regular market channels
because they were never commercially published or listed or were
properly distributed. Alternative methods of supply and bibliographic
control have evolved in response to the need of libraries to preserve
and provide access to such material. In the United States, they grey
literature of science and technology is indexed in the NTIS database.
Theses and dissertations are indexed and abstract cited in Dissertation
Abstracts International and are available on demand via Dissertation
Express. Also spelled grey literature.”

• Meaning: Gray Literature or "Grey Literature" is literature (often of

a scientific or technical nature) that is not available through the usual
bibliographic sources such as databases or indexes. It can be both in
print and, increasingly, electronic formats
 Types of Grey Literature
• Preprint
According to Harrods’s librarians’ glossary and reference books Preprint
is the “potion of a work of the complete work. A paper submitted at a
conference which is published prior to the holding of the conference.”
Preprints are research in progress reports to the small but often
international group of fellow scientists working in the same relatively
narrow research specialty.
• Report Literature
According to Harrod’s librarian’s glossary and reference books Report
literature is “A general tem which includes reports of all kinds, which give
the results of research or development work, and which are associated with
the name of the sponsor within a numbered sequence.

• Conference proceedings
Papers presented at national and international conferences give a good
indication of the present position of work in a subject field, especially with
regard to the various, kinds of approach made by different workers.
• Patents
Patent are considered as a part of primary source of literature.
According to Encyclopedic Dictionary of Library and
Information Science ”Patent for inventions as issued by
countries serve to protect rights of an inventions to exercise his
invention for a limited period of time.”
• Theses and dissertations
Research done at a university or similar institution, generally as part
of requirement for a Doctor’s or Master’s degree.
• Trade Literature or Manufactures Literature
Only source of specific information, about particular products on
their development; if the information is not published elsewhere, this
source becomes a primary source. Technical bulletins, data sheets,
price lists and other specialized publications describing a
manufacturer’s equipment or processes are typical examples.
• Survery Reports
• Statistical Sources
Analysis of problems & arriving at fruitful solutions, formulation of policies &
plans & monitoring their progress. Much of it depends up on the quality of
data.
• Feasibility reports
Prepared on request for industries who seek financial assistance through banks.
• Literature Note
Prepared for internal use before a project is taken up.
• Process Know-how
A complete report is prepared which the project is sold to the interested party.
• Basic Design
Prepared on request for the machinery and equipment required for the
processor.
• Detailed Design Report
This document covers the mechanical aspects also.
• Demonstration report
Confidential & signed & sealed by the Laboratory & the industrial
entrepreneur.
• Seminar Papers
These are generally made available to participants before they are
formally presented at the seminars by their authors. Seminar papers
are reviewed and only the selected ones are published along with the
records of discussion. Others papers are either merely listed or only
their abstracts are incorporated in the publication.
• Standards
According to American National Standards Institution, a standard is
a specification accepted by recognized authority as the most practical
and appropriate current solution of a recurring problem. Standards
may be interpreted as a pattern of an ideal, a model procedure, a
measure for an appraisal, a stimulus for future development and
improvement and, an instrument to assist decision
• Annual Reports
Gives the details about the institution & its various activities of the
particular year & also helps to get a broad idea about the subjects or
topics in which the institutions are likely to be interested.
 REFERENCES
• Tella, Rama Devi. Access and use of grey literature in social
sciences: Problems and prosoects. New Delhi: Ess Ess
Publications, 2006.
• Wikipedia
• guides.lib.umich.edu/grey literature
• csulib.libguide.com
•
THANK YOU