v2026.1CASRAI Dictionary 714 entries across 20 domains · CC-BY 4.0714 entries · CC-BY 4.0

Dictionary termTrack AStablev2026.2

Preprint

A scholarly manuscript posted to a public preprint server prior to formal peer review and journal publication, made openly accessible, citable via a persistent identifier (typically a DOI), and bearing a clearly identified version state.

ByCASRAI Editorial Board

· Last updated 21 May 2026

Examples

Worked examples

Is an instance
A paper posted to bioRxiv with a DOI prior to journal submission

Counter-examples

Looks similar, but isn't

Not an instance
A peer-reviewed version of record posted on a personal website is not a preprint

Editorial commentary

Distinct from the OA-glossary ‘Pre-print’ entry by focusing on the broader output-type identity (a recognised category of research output) rather than the specific document version. Preprints predate the version of record by definition; subsequent peer-reviewed versions are typically linked to the preprint via the server.

References

ASAPbio Preprint Guidance
NIH Preprint Pilot (2017)

Also known as

Pre-print server posting · Preprint manuscript

Machine-readable encodings

Use in your systems

JATS XML <role> element

xml

<role vocab="credit"
      vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
      vocab-term="Preprint"
      vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/preprint" />

Schema.org DefinedTerm (JSON-LD)

json

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Preprint",
  "identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/preprint",
  "description": "A scholarly manuscript posted to a public preprint server prior to formal peer review and journal publication, made openly accessible, citable via a persistent identifier (typically a DOI), and bearing a clearly identified version state.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/research-outputs-expanded/",
  "url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/preprint",
  "sameAs": [
    "Pre-print server posting",
    "Preprint manuscript"
  ],
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}

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