Direct comparison
Preprint vs. Postprint vs. VoR
Preprint, postprint (AAM), and version of record are three distinct manuscript stages. See what changes at each and which one to cite or self-archive.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Preprint | Postprint / AAM | Version of Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The author's manuscript, before or during formal peer review | The peer-reviewed, publisher-accepted manuscript, pre-typesetting | The publisher's final, formatted, formally published article |
| Peer-review status | Not formally peer-reviewed (may have basic server-level screening) | Fully peer-reviewed and accepted | Fully peer-reviewed, accepted, and formally published |
| Typesetting / formatting | Author's own formatting, no publisher layout | Author's own formatting; no publisher typesetting, pagination, or copy-editing yet | Publisher typesetting, pagination, volume/issue numbers, copy-editing applied |
| Where it typically lives | Preprint servers (arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv, SSRN, etc.) | Institutional or subject repositories, under a journal's self-archiving (green OA) policy | The publisher's own journal platform |
| DOI / citability | Often has its own DOI issued by the preprint server, distinct from the eventual article DOI | Usually no separate formal DOI; not the version a persistent DOI resolves to | Carries the article's canonical DOI, which resolves here in most cases |
| What corrections attach to | Corrections are usually handled by posting a new preprint version | Not applicable — superseded once the VoR publishes | Corrections, errata, and retraction notices attach directly to the VoR |
| Typical funder-mandate role | Satisfies immediate-sharing / preprint-posting expectations in some funder and journal policies | The version most funder open-access mandates (e.g. NIH Public Access Policy) require deposited in a repository | Sometimes deposited directly by the publisher under an open-access agreement, satisfying the mandate without a separate AAM deposit |
| Governing framework / reference | ASAPbio preprint posting guidance | NISO RP-8-2008 Journal Article Versions (JAV); Plan S Rights Retention Strategy | NISO RP-8-2008 JAV; Crossref VoR identification |
Common questions
FAQ
Is a postprint the same thing as an author accepted manuscript (AAM)?+
In practice, yes — the two terms describe the same stage: a manuscript that has passed peer review and been accepted by a journal, but has not yet been typeset or copy-edited by the publisher. "Postprint" is the older, more informal term from the open-access self-archiving community; "author accepted manuscript" is the term used in NISO's Journal Article Versions framework and in most current publisher and funder policy language. If a specific mandate or agreement uses one term, match that exact term when confirming compliance.
Can I post my preprint publicly after the journal publishes the version of record?+
Usually yes, though it depends on the journal's and preprint server's specific policies. Most major preprint servers (arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv) allow authors to link the preprint to the eventual published article rather than remove it, and many journals explicitly permit preprints to remain posted after formal publication. Check the specific journal's preprint policy and the preprint server's own linking/versioning practices, since this is not universal.
Which version should I cite in my own reference list?+
Cite the version of record whenever it exists and you have access to it, since it is the final, corrected, and canonical version. If you specifically relied on content that only appeared in an earlier preprint or postprint (for example, because the VoR is not yet published, or the content changed during review), cite that specific version explicitly and note its status — most citation styles now have conventions for identifying a preprint as such rather than presenting it as a peer-reviewed article.
Does a DOI always point to the version of record?+
For the article's main, publisher-assigned DOI, yes in the great majority of cases — that is one of the defining features of the VoR under Crossref's DOI-registration conventions. Preprints commonly carry their own separate DOI issued by the preprint server, which is a real, citable, but distinct identifier from the eventual journal article's DOI.
Why does my funder's mandate specify the AAM instead of just requiring open access to the published article?+
Funder mandates such as the NIH Public Access Policy and the Plan S Rights Retention Strategy specify the AAM because authors typically retain more rights over that version than over the publisher-typeset VoR, which is often protected by a copyright transfer or exclusive licensing agreement. Requiring deposit of the AAM lets the mandate be satisfied without depending on the publisher's own open-access terms for the VoR.
