Postprint

Postprint is a term used in scholarly publishing to denote a version of a manuscript after peer review and any final author revisions, but before the publisher’s final typeset version. It is typically the author’s accepted manuscript, sometimes referred to as the author’s accepted manuscript (AAM). The postprint preserves the content and structure arising from the peer-review process, including corrections and updates made during revision, but it is not the publisher’s formatted version of record.

A postprint differs from a preprint, which is a version of the manuscript prior to peer review, and from the version of record (VoR), the final, published article with the publisher’s typesetting, copyediting, and branding. While the postprint contains the substantive scientific content, it may differ in appearance from the VoR due to missing publisher formatting and layout.

Rights and access for postprints depend on publisher policies. In green open access, authors deposit the postprint in an institutional or subject repository, often after an embargo period determined by the publisher. Some publishers permit immediate deposition or require licensing terms (such as a Creative Commons license) for shared postprints; others restrict deposit or designate the postprint as not suitable for reuse. The specific terms are usually outlined by the publisher and summarized in policy databases like SHERPA/RoMEO.

Practically, researchers should review the publisher’s policy, their author agreement, and any funder requirements to determine whether and when a postprint may be deposited, and under what conditions it may be accessed or reused. See also: preprint, version of record, green open access.