Preprints

A preprint is a version of a scholarly manuscript posted publicly before it has undergone formal peer review. Preprints are intended to speed the sharing of research findings, allowing other researchers to read, comment on, and build upon the work while the journal publication process is underway. They can also help establish priority for a discovery.

Preprint servers specialize by field. The best-known example is arXiv, launched in 1991 for physics, mathematics, and computer science. In the life sciences, bioRxiv and medRxiv host preprints in biology and health sciences, respectively. Other disciplines maintain repositories or allow preprints on broader platforms. Preprints are typically openly accessible and may be posted with licensing that permits reuse and redistribution, subject to attribution. Versions may be updated as the authors revise the manuscript, with the server preserving a record of all prior versions and often assigning or linking to a digital object identifier.

The relationship between preprints and formal publication varies by discipline and journal policy. Many journals and publishers allow submission of manuscripts that have been posted as preprints, while policies can differ on exclusivity, revision, and subsequent acceptance. The main advantages of preprints are rapid dissemination, opportunities for community feedback, and clear establishment of research priority. Potential drawbacks include the absence of peer review at posting, varying quality, and the possibility of media misinterpretation or premature uptake of unverified results.

Overall, preprints constitute a growing component of the scholarly communication landscape, complementing traditional publication by enabling faster access and dialogue around new findings.