PRIMARY LITERATURE:

* Essentially, anything published in a scholarly journal. Authors MUST h

ave done the work themselves
* Usually "Papers"
* Can include: monographs, theses, dissertations, conference papers
* reports
SECONDARY LITERATURE:
* Publications that rely on primary sources for information. Authors don
't have to do the work themselves since they are summarizing from primary source
s, but they typically work and publish in the area they are writing about.
* Includes: Review Journals, monographic books and textbooks, handbooks,
manuals
TERTIARY LITERATURE:
* Published works that are based in primary and secondary sources and ar
e aimed at scientists who work in different areas or for an interested but lay a
udience. Typically written in pop style rather than scientific.
* Includes: Science magazines, newsletters, science articles in newspape
rs, introductory textbooks, and encyclopaedias.
GREY LITERATURE:
* Source of scientific information that are not yet published and distri
buted in the usual manner. Tends to be difficult to obtain.
* Includes theses, dissertations, technical reports with a limited distr
ibution, abstracts of conference participants, environmental impact statements,
some government documents, working papers, and some online documents.
* Note:" Grey Literature" refers more to the limited distribution and di
fficulty of access than to how much scientific merit said document has. Many hav
e been rigorously peer reviewed.
src: https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/file/0006/42981/The_different_types_of_
scientific_literature.pdf