Conference proceedings and technical reports are part of the gray (or grey) literature. This material is published fairly quickly, often without peer review, by institutions, professional societies, governmental agencies and contractors. These papers may provide the first information on research findings and offer detailed information on experimental techniques. The gray literature can be valuable as an early source of detailed information about current research efforts.
Gray literature has been difficult to identify and obtain. How can you find information about papers that have been presented at meetings or conferences, or whether there are any technical reports that apply to your field of interest?
Many standard indexing and abstracting databases now attempt to include conference proceedings and technical reports. In addition, many agencies now make this material available in digital format via the WWW.
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