offprints

An offprint is a separate copy of an article or chapter that has been published in a larger work such as a journal, magazine, or book. Offprints are typically produced from the same typesetting as the original publication. They are often provided to authors by the publisher as a way for them to share their work with colleagues or for their own records.

Historically, offprints were printed on plain paper and bound with a simple staple or stapleless fold. Modern offprints can be more elaborately produced, sometimes with a cover featuring the author's name and the article's title. They allow authors to distribute their research without requiring others to purchase the entire publication. This can be particularly useful for disseminating findings to a targeted audience or for use at conferences.

The term "reprint" is sometimes used interchangeably with offprint, though technically a reprint might be set in new type and differ slightly from the original. In contemporary academic publishing, the digital equivalent of an offprint is often a PDF version of the article made available to authors. While the physical offprint remains a traditional format, the ease of digital sharing has altered how authors distribute their published work.