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Grey Literature

Start your grey literature search with this guide containing resources and strategies for discovering research produced outside traditional commercial or academic publishing channels.

Evaluating Grey Literature

Grey literature presents a viable alternative to conventional scholarly and peer-reviewed literature, albeit necessitating heightened scrutiny in information assessment compared to the latter. The evaluation of grey literature entails a rigorous examination of various factors, including the document's intrinsic characteristics, the credibility and reputation of the producing organization, and the veracity of the information conveyed. One established framework facilitating this critical evaluation process is the AACODS checklist, devised by Jess Tyndall.

Authority: Who is responsible for the content and are they credible? Accuracy: Is the document supported by credible, authoritative sources? Coverage: Does the document clearly state parameters that define their content coverage? Objectivity: Is there bias? Is it easily detected? Date: Can you find the date? For the content to inform your research it must have a date to confirm relevance Significance: Does the document add something unique to the research?

References

Tyndall, J. (2010). AACODS checklist. Flinders University. https://fac.flinders.edu.au/dspace/api/core/bitstreams/e94a96eb-0334-4300-8880-c836d4d9a676/content

Tyndall, J. (2008). How low can you go? Toward a hierarchy of grey literature. Conference: Dreaming08: Australian Library and Information Association Biennial Conference, Alice Springs. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/14931482.pdf