Definition · Plain-language
What is a Preprint?
A preprint is a version of a scholarly or scientific paper that precedes formal peer review and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Authors upload these drafts to public repositories called preprint servers to share their research findings rapidly with the scientific community.
The step most authors miss
Doing CRediT right? Don’t stop at the statement.
A CRediT statement credits you inside one paper. The recognition CRediT was built for happens when those roles are tied to you, persistently. Sign in with your ORCID — free — and claim your CRediT contributions on casrai.org, the home of the standard. They become a verified, portable part of your identity, not a line that disappears into one PDF.
Free: claim your contributions, then export a journal-ready CRediT statement, schema.org structured data, JATS XML, CSV or BibTeX — and preview your public profile. A membership publishes that profile publicly and verifies the journals you serve.
The Benefits of Publishing a Preprint
Publishing a preprint offers several advantages to researchers. It enables the immediate sharing of findings, which is crucial during fast-moving crises such as disease outbreaks. It also provides a public, time-stamped record of discovery, preventing scoop-risk. Furthermore, papers shared as preprints often receive higher citation rates and more social media coverage once eventually published in a peer-reviewed journal.
How Preprint Servers Operate
Preprint servers are online repositories hosted by academic libraries, research institutions, or professional societies. When an author submits a manuscript, it undergoes a basic screening check to filter out spam, plagiarism, or non-scholarly work. Once approved, the paper is assigned a permanent Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and made freely available to the public. Preprint servers do not edit or format the work.
Preprints in the Modern Editorial Landscape
Historically, journals followed the Ingelfinger Rule, which prohibited publishing papers previously shared in public formats. Today, almost all major publishers permit authors to share preprints. Funding bodies like Plan S and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) actively support preprint posting. Additionally, new models of peer review have emerged around preprints, allowing communities to review papers publicly before journal submission.
Key facts
At a glance
- A preprint is a scholarly manuscript shared publicly before undergoing formal journal peer review.
- Posting a preprint is free and makes the research immediately open access to everyone.
- Preprints are assigned a DOI, making them citable scholarly objects in academic references.
- Most journals allow authors to submit papers that have been previously shared as preprints.
- Preprint servers use basic moderation to screen for plagiarism and non-scientific content.
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: Preprints are unreliable because they have not been peer-reviewed.
Actually: While they lack formal review, many preprints are of high quality and are identical to the eventually published paper; readers must simply apply their own critical appraisal.
Often heard: Posting a preprint is copyright infringement or violates journal policies.
Actually: Almost all major academic publishers have updated their policies to permit preprint sharing, provided authors retain copyright or use appropriate licenses.
Often heard: Once a preprint is online, you cannot change it.
Actually: Preprint servers support version control, allowing authors to upload revised drafts reflecting corrections or reviewer feedback, while keeping the history transparent.
