What are Pre-Prints?

Are pre-prints sometimes called something else?

"Pre-print" or "preprint" are common terms in the sciences, but other disciplines these unpublished manuscripts by other names, including:

working paper, discussion paper, preliminary report, author's manuscript, original manuscript, unrefereed article

Sometimes pre-prints will be called ePrints, but this term can also refer to a different type of publication: post-prints (also known as an AAM or Author's Accepted Manuscript), which a copy of a peer-reviewed article that has been shared outside of the journal, such as in an institutional repository or other Open Access server. Typically, the only difference between a post-print and the version of an article published in a journal will be cosmetic details like formatting or graphics added by the journal.

What are potential benefits of pre-prints?

For authors:

• Time. It can take months or even years to publish an article in a traditional journal, but it's a much faster process to upload a manuscript to a pre-print server—depending on the server, a pre-print can be approved and disseminated within only a few days.
• Feedback. Authors who solicit feedback on their manuscripts can use the comments and critiques by other researchers in their discipline to improve their articles, which can make publishing in a journal later on a smoother process.
• DOI Assignment. Many pre-print servers assign DOI number to pre-prints, which means that authors are able to include their pre-prints when applying for jobs and grants.
• Discoverability. Articles published as pre-prints are often indexed in databases and by online search tools like Google Scholar, which means that they can be discovered and cited by readers more quickly.
• Priority. Authors who share their research as a manuscript/draft can more easily prove that they were the first researcher in their field to study a given topic—this is called "establishing priority."

For readers & fellow researchers:

• No Paywalls. Articles published with Open Access are available without any paywalls to anyone with an internet connection. Most pre-print servers publish using some version of Open Access, as do many traditional journals.
• Rapid Collaboration. When research is shared quickly on pre-print servers, researchers can collaborate and build on one another's work immediately. This can lead to more rapid innovation and development of ideas, especially in fast-paced disciplines or areas where there is an urgency for new research (ex. the COVID-19 pandemic).
• Broader Definition of "Important" Research. Journals tend to favor the publication of research that is perceived to be significant to the development of a field over research that confirms existing knowledge. Pre-print servers are better positioned to be able to host more research that isn't considered groundbreaking, which is often still valuable to other researchers.

What are potential drawbacks of pre-prints?

For authors:

• Some Journals Prohibit Pre-Print Sharing. Some traditional journals will not publish articles that previously appeared online as pre-prints, and others have rules about when pre-prints can be shared at various stages of the publication process. However, many journals allow or encourage works to be shared first as pre-prints. It is a good idea to always thoroughly investigate a journal's policies before submitting an article for publication.
• Risk of "Scooping" or Plagiarism. Many researchers have reservations about pre-print servers because of the risk that research shared prior to its official publication might be used in the development of other authors' work, potentially leading to someone else getting credit for an important discovery or finding (a practice called "Scooping"). There is also a risk that predatory journals might try to re-publish pre-prints without an author's consent. This is a violation of copyright law, but it still presents a hassle for authors to try to get stolen work taken down.
  While pre-print servers can assign DOIs and help establish priority for authors, making it easier to prove ownership, these are still important factors to consider when deciding when or if to share an article as a pre-print.

For readers & fellow researchers:

• Lack of Formal Quality Checking. Articles that have not been peer-reviewed do not have the backing of subject experts, and many researchers do not feel comfortable citing non peer-reviewed articles in their work. This is not a problem that is exclusive to pre-prints, as there are also many traditional journals that do not use the peer-review process, but it is an important consideration nevertheless. 
• Issues with Funding Organizations. There have been cases where research funding organizations have rejected applications from researchers who cited pre-prints in their articles. As with journals, always be clear about the policies of funding organizations you apply to as a researcher.
• Final Version Changes. There may be changes made to articles between the time when they are made available as a pre-print and when they are published in a journal, so works by other authors that cite pre-prints may not be citing the most up-to-date version of the research.