CVOH221:Topics in Occupational Health and Safety

Grey literature refers to any information that is not commercially published, and can include a wide range of material types, such as:

• Research reports produced by government agencies, non-profits, etc.
• Government documents and websites, including Statistics Canada
• Conference proceedings, e.g.,  databases such as Scopus or Web of Science include citations to conference proceedings
• Theses and dissertations, e.g., databases such as Proquest Dissertations or Theses Canada

How to Search Grey Literature

Knowing where to search for grey literature can be challenging. There are a variety of suggestions in the following library guide from Simon Fraser University: Grey literature: What it is & how to find it.

A good approach is to be strategic and target where appropriate grey sources might be located. For example, if you know of any government agencies, non-profits, professional associations, research institutes, and other organisations that may be producing content relevant to your topic, you may wish to search their website for any publications and reports. 

Searching for grey literature will likely involve the use of a search engine such as Google, so it will be important for you to critically evaluate sources before including them in your research.  For some tips on avoiding fake news and the spread of misinformation, review the information included in the Fake News libguide. 

Also, review your course syllabus for grey literature sources, as your instructor may have identified some key grey literature sources related to the course content.