Preprints

Sharing research results is part of the scientific method. The traditional process involves publishing in journals that make your article available, after peer review, in a layout and style matching the other articles in a volume or issue. It is becoming more common to also share a pre-peer review copy online on a preprint site (sometimes called a preprint server).

Preprint Servers

A preprint is an academic manuscript that is uploaded by the authors to a public server (website), before traditional peer-review and acceptance to a journal. This process allows for community review and commentary before and during the publishing process. Keep in mind that some journals do allow this process and some do not.

Find a preprint server in your field:

• Preprint, Wikipedia
• Directory of preprint server policies and practices, ASAPbio

Journal and Preprint Policies

To identify journal policies, note that some preprint sites have direct transfer services to participating journals. There are also databases of journal policies to guide sharing before, during, and after the publishing process.

• bioRxiv, has direct transfer service
• medRxiv, has direct transfer service
• Sherpa Romeo, database of journals and publisher policies
• Transpose, database of journal policies

Search for Preprint Articles

Special search engines can help find preprint articles. Preprint articles are not indexed or findable in major search engines like PubMed and Web of Science, use these tools instead:

• Preprint Archive Search, OSFPreprints
• search.bioPreprint, University of Pittsburgh

How to Cite Preprint Articles

Many commonly used styles have details on how to cite preprints. For styles not listed here, search the style's homepage or book index.

• APA Style: Preprint Article References
• AMA Manual of Style: Online Journal Articles, Preprints, and Manuscripts
• NLM/ICMJE: Unpublished Material, Forthcoming and Preprints
• NIH: Reporting Preprints and Other Interim Research Products