What are preprints?
- A preprint is the version of your manuscript that you make available online before your manuscript has been submitted, accepted and published as a peer-reviewed article.
- Preprints are a common scholarly communication practice in the physical sciences and starting to emerge in biology and medicine.
What advantages does a preprint have?
- Early communication of your research - sometimes manuscript submission, peer review and subsequent revisions can take a long time.
- You can claim your stake on that piece of research and reduce anxiety over being scooped
- Aid in the discoverability of you as a researcher and your work
- Gather valuable feedback on your work before submitting to a peer-reviewed journal
- Enhance collaboration with other researchers
- Improve openness and accessibility of scientific findings
Where can I submit my preprint?
There are many different repositories for preprints, many of which are subject specific such as:
bioRxiv: the preprint server for biology: https://www.biorxiv.org/
PeerJ Preprints: for biological sciences, health sciences, medical sciences: https://peerj.com/about/preprints/what-is-a-preprint/
psyRxiv for psychological sciences: https://psyarxiv.com/
MedRxiv for medical and health sciences coming soon!: http://yoda.yale.edu/medrxiv
SSRN: many disciplines: https://www.ssrn.com/en/
Open Science Framework (OSF): any discipline: https://osf.io/preprints/
PRO TIP: Ask the editor of the journal you intend to submit to what that journal's policy is on preprints. Some journals may regrads a preprint as a prior publication and then your manuscript may not be eligible for submission.
More info:
Bourne PE, Polka JK, Vale RD, Kiley R (2017) Ten simple rules to consider regarding preprint submission. PLoS Comput Biol 13(5): e1005473. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005473
Committee on Publication Ethics. (2018, March). COPE discussion documents: Preprints. Retrieved from www.publicationethics.org/files/u7140/COPE_Preprints_Mar18.pdf
