Preprints

Topics on this page:

• What is a preprint?
• Why post a preprint?
• Making the most of preprints

This page discusses the process of publishing preprints, as well as guidelines specifically related to areas of interest for members of the biomedical research community.

What is a preprint?

A preprint is a scientific manuscript that is published prior to peer review, generally in a preprint server (a repository that specifically accepts articles prior to publication). Preprints for biomedical research are most often published in the preprint servers bioRxiv or medRxiv.

Here are examples of preprints from a few different CZI-supported projects:

• Using genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 to support contact tracing and public health surveillance in rural Humboldt County, California
• CellTag Indexing: genetic barcode-based sample multiplexing for single-cell genomics
• Super-resolution vibrational imaging using expansion stimulated Raman scattering microscopy
• A reference induced pluripotent stem cell line for large-scale collaborative studies

After a manuscript has been through the peer review process and is published in a journal, the preprint entry is updated to include a link to the final article. For example, this article links to the final article by stating “Now published in Genome Biology,” followed by the DOI. In other cases, such as reporting negative results that might otherwise be deemed “unpublishable,” the article may never be published elsewhere, so the preprint represents the main source of information sharing for the research results.

Why post a preprint?

The main reasons why preprints are considered beneficial for the scientific community include:

• rapidly sharing results accelerates scientific understanding and advancament, such as during the early days of COVID
• feedback about early drafts of research improves the final publication
• allowing free and open access to scientific research

For answers to more general questions about preprints and the process of publishing with them, please see the following:

• Ten simple rules to consider regarding preprint submission
• FAQs about preprints from ASAPbio

Making the most of preprints

Preprints represent a huge opportunity to both receive feedback on your own work and access cutting-edge research shared by others. However, it can be daunting to determine how to incorporate preprints into your existing scientific literature perusal. This topic highlights ways to benefit from posting your own preprints, and for helping you navigate preprints published by others.

Feedback on preprints can be essential in improving the final published manuscript, either prior to or concurrently with traditional peer review. ASAPbio has developed an FAQ section about public feedback on preprints that can help you solicit and use this feedback.

If you would like more information on navigating preprints published, Peer Community in is an organization that provides recommendations for preprints in specific research areas.