Overton Index is an online database containing policy documents and reports from government bodies, international government organisations (IGOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), think tanks, and other policy-making entities. It covers a wide range of fields, including economics, education, environment, health, politics and international relations, and sociology/social policy. The database includes documents from around 190 countries and territories.

Overton can assist in your research by:

  • Find up-to-date policy documents from all around the world.
  • Helping you identify where research is being used to develop policy (e.g., as evidence of impact).
  • Understanding the policy landscape within a subject area to better plan how to influence policy with current and future research projects.
  • Identifying citations of your work to measure the impact of your research.
  • Gives the option of advanced search methods, making systematic searching of grey literature possible. Please note: To save searches, tags, and notes, you need to create an account first.

More information and training

Visit the Overton Index database on the library website for more information or support. You can also explore our module, Searching grey literature with Overton Index, a step-by-step guide on how to effectively find literature using Overton Index.

Need assistance?

Do you have any questions about the library’s databases or services? Please reach out to us via Ask Your Librarian.