Gray literature refers to information which is not conventionally published in academic books or peer-reviewed journal articles.
Often such literature lacks a formal publisher, making it difficult to find through library databases. Gray literature includes theses and dissertations, conference papers, government publications, and industry white papers.
A white paper is an authoritative and detailed report often, but not always, issued by businesses or government agencies.
White papers help readers understand issues and the policies meant to address them. In business, white papers sometimes take the form of marketing presentations.
Gray literature may provide you with salient information on a topic, including industry statistics, company performance, business strategy, market analysis, and more.