If you haven’t tried preprints yet, it’s worth thinking about what’s stopping you. A preprint is sharing your research paper online before it goes through peer review. Instead of sitting on your computer for months while you wait on editors and reviewers, your work is out there for people to read and use right away.
This isn’t a new idea. In physics and math, preprints have been part of how researchers share results for decades. ArXiv, for instance, has been around since the early 90s and really changed how those communities exchange ideas. Other fields have started catching up - life sciences, health research, and more interdisciplinary areas now have well-established preprint servers too.
The main benefit is that your work gets more eyes on it earlier. Other researchers can build on it, cite it, or even catch mistakes you didn’t see. It also helps with reproducibility because your data and methods are there for people to look at and test.
Of course, preprints don’t come with peer review, so people reading them should keep that in mind. This is why it’s important to include a clear note that the work hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet.
These days, a lot of funders encourage or expect researchers to use preprints. The NIH, Wellcome, and plenty of others accept preprints as proof of progress. Many journals are fine with them too, and some even have easy ways to post a preprint at the same time you submit your paper for review. So the old worry that preprints might block you from publishing somewhere reputable is mostly out of date. That said, it’s always smart to check each journal’s policy first.
Preprints fit right into open science. If the goal is to make research more open, faster, and fairer, then sharing work early is one of the easiest ways to do that, especially for researchers who can’t always pay for or access pricey journals.
Choosing where to post isn’t something to rush. The server you pick can help people find your work or bury it where nobody looks.
Ask yourself: is this server trusted in your field? Do researchers you read and respect use it? Does it give you a DOI or another permanent link so people can cite your paper properly? Is it listed in big scholarly databases or Google Scholar? Does it line up with your institution’s or funder’s guidelines on open science?
Some common examples:
Don’t just pick the first server you hear about. Read a few papers on it, see what gets uploaded there, and check if it looks like a good home for your work. If you’re not sure, your library or funder’s open research office might have suggestions or requirements.
You’ve got your manuscript and you’ve picked your server - now what?
First, get your paper into good shape. Even though it’s not peer-reviewed yet, it’s still public. Fix obvious errors, make sure your figures are clear, and check that your methods are described well enough that someone else could follow them. A sloppy preprint isn’t good for you or anyone else.
Talk to your co-authors before you post. Everyone should agree on when and where to share it. Nobody wants to find out their name is on a public draft they didn’t sign off on. Also check your funder’s or institution’s policies one last time - it’s rare, but some projects have embargoes or rules about when you can post.
Add a clear note saying this version hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet. Some servers add that automatically, but it doesn’t hurt to include it in your abstract or PDF as well.
Fill in all the details when you upload: a clear title, a good abstract, solid keywords, all the author names and affiliations, and funding information. This stuff can feel tedious, but it makes your paper much easier for others to find and cite later.
Pick an open license that makes sense for you. Many people use Creative Commons licenses like CC BY so others can reuse their work with credit. Just make sure whatever you pick matches what your funder or journal allows.
One big perk of preprints is versioning. You can update your paper as you get feedback or add new results. Good servers, like DeSci Publish, keep a clear record of changes so people see how your work has evolved.
Once your preprint is up, it helps to let people know about it. One quick post probably isn’t enough, but you don’t need to broadcast it everywhere either. Just share it where people in your field actually look.
Your lab website or personal page is a good start. Some people share preprints on X, LinkedIn or Mastodon, or post in mailing lists, research Slack channels, or other communities related to their field. Do what makes sense for you.
Always be clear that it’s a draft that hasn’t been peer-reviewed. This helps people read it in the right context and avoids confusion if someone outside your field shares it.
If people share comments or suggestions, take a look. Not every comment will be useful, but you might get ideas that strengthen your paper before you submit it to a journal. Better to catch something early than to have a reviewer point it out months later.
If you make updates, keep your notes clear. Vague stuff like “minor edits” doesn’t really help. And once your paper is accepted and published, add a link back to the final version if your server allows it. It keeps the record connected and can help your work get cited more accurately.
A few simple habits make preprints work better for everyone.
When you cite a preprint, yours or someone else’s, say clearly that it hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet. If you change something big, like adding new data or adjusting your conclusions, don’t just overwrite your old version without saying so. Add a short note so people can see what’s different. That transparency is part of what makes preprints worth doing.
In the end, it comes down to being upfront and honest. Preprints help make research more open and reproducible, but they only work if everyone shares responsibly and keeps the record clear.
Preprints aren’t complicated, but they’re worth doing well. They help you share your work sooner, get useful feedback while it still matters, and stay visible in your field. Often, they make your final paper better too.
Pick a server that makes sense for what you do. Take the time to get your draft in shape. Post it where people will see it, be open to input, and keep it up to date if things change. When your paper’s published, link it back so people can follow the whole story.
In the end, it’s a simple way to help research move faster and stay more open - and that’s good for everyone.
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