An approach of literature review in which the researcher refers to the studies with more limited distribution such as conference papers and unpublished reports is known as:

1. A

   Ancestry approach

2. B

   Bibliographic databases

3. C

   Descendancy approach

4. D

   Grey literature

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur NO - 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

• Grey literature refers to research materials that are not published or distributed through traditional commercial channels.
• The key feature of grey literature is its limited distribution, making it harder to find than peer-reviewed journal articles.
• The question specifically mentions 'conference papers and unpublished reports,' which are classic examples of grey literature.
• Including grey literature in a review helps to provide a more complete picture of the available evidence and can reduce publication bias, which is the tendency for studies with positive results to be published more often than those with negative or inconclusive results.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: The Ancestry approach is a method for finding sources, not a type of literature. It involves using the reference list of a relevant article to find older, related studies.
• Option B: Bibliographic databases (like CINAHL, PubMed, MEDLINE) are organized electronic collections used to search for literature. They are a tool for research, not a category of literature itself.
• Option C: The Descendancy approach is a method for finding sources by identifying a key early study and then searching for later studies that have cited it. It is a search strategy, not a type of literature.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Types of literature sources in research as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• For evidence-based practice, nurses must conduct comprehensive literature reviews. Relying only on published articles can lead to an incomplete understanding, as studies with negative or null findings are less likely to be published.
• Searching for grey literature is crucial in systematic reviews and meta-analyses to minimize publication bias and ensure the conclusions are based on all available evidence, not just the published evidence.
• What if a nurse is researching a very new intervention, like a novel wound care technique? Published, peer-reviewed data might be scarce. The nurse would need to search grey literature (e.g., conference proceedings, clinical trial registries) to find the most current, albeit unpublished, findings and protocols.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the key terms in the question: 'literature review,' 'limited distribution,' 'conference papers,' and 'unpublished reports.'
• Recognize that the question is asking for a specific category or type of literature, not a search method or tool.
• Evaluate Option A, 'Ancestry approach.' Recall or deduce that this is a method of tracing citations backward, so it's a process, not a type of literature. Eliminate it.
• Evaluate Option B, 'Bibliographic databases.' Identify these as tools (like PubMed) for finding literature, not the literature itself. Eliminate it.
• Evaluate Option C, 'Descendancy approach.' This is a method of tracing citations forward, another process. Eliminate it.
• Evaluate Option D, 'Grey literature.' The definition of grey literature directly matches the description of materials with limited distribution like conference papers and reports. This is the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Types of literature sources in research
• Stem keywords: literature review, limited distribution, conference papers, unpublished reports
• Lead-in keywords: is known as

Question ID

QPokR8Kohj3itJRuUepDZ5

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 NursingResearch Polit 11e Part 1 p. 100-102

E6 NursingResearch Polit 11e Part 2 p. 279-281