Welcome to another article in our Researcher Voices series. In this interview, we speak with Prof. Ziniu Wu at the School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University. Prof. Wu recently joined the Preprints.org Advisory Board, where he will share his expertise with and perspective on the platform.
With a research background in aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, Prof. Wu has also spent years teaching and studying academic writing, and in recent years, he has posted several studies as preprints. However, his experience has raised a question that many interdisciplinary researchers may face: the challenge is not finding somewhere to publish—it is finding the field that best fits the research.
For interdisciplinary research, a study may draw on ideas and methods from multiple fields. So where should such research go? And how can researchers share their work when there is no clear disciplinary home for it?
In this conversation, Prof. Wu shares his thoughts on interdisciplinary research, access to knowledge, and how preprint platforms could better support research that crosses disciplinary boundaries.
Q: You have posted several preprints over the past two years. What motivated you to do so?
I started my social media channel about research article writing around 2018. In 2020, I began teaching academic writing courses at Tsinghua University. I have also provided academic writing training for faculty members at universities in central and western China.
Through this, I began studying academic writing more systematically. I also encountered a practical challenge when I started: it was difficult to identify a journal whose scope was a good fit for my research topic. So I started considering whether I could make my research publicly available through preprints first. I decided to give it a try, and that was how I started using preprints.
I have used several preprint platforms, and I have had a good experience with Preprints.org. One thing I appreciate is the professional typesetting and layout provided by your platform. The posted preprints look clear and professional, which also makes them easier and more enjoyable for readers to read.
Q: For interdisciplinary research that is difficult to place within a single field, how do you think preprints can help?
For interdisciplinary research, it can be difficult to find a journal whose scope is a good fit. Preprint platforms offer an advantage, allowing this work to be shared with the public much more quickly. This can also help authors establish research priority by making their findings publicly available at an early stage.
I would suggest that preprint platforms consider adding a dedicated subject category for interdisciplinary research. Research on fundamental theories that can be applied across multiple fields, for example, cannot always be simply classified as mathematics, physics, or another single discipline. If such research is forced into one subject category, its interdisciplinary nature may become less visible, simply because it does not represent mainstream research in that field.
This does not mean that every paper that is difficult to classify should be placed in a general interdisciplinary category. Such a category should be intended for work that has the potential to contribute to multiple fields.
I know there are already practices that address this issue. Some journals provide spaces for interdisciplinary research. I believe it may be easier for preprint platforms to start by adding an interdisciplinary category than by creating an entirely new dedicated interdisciplinary journal.
From a reader’s perspective, such a space could also create opportunities to discover research beyond their own field while still exploring work in areas they are already familiar with.
Q: In your fields of aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, how do researchers generally view preprints?
Views vary quite a bit. For well-established researchers, impact factors and publishing in prestigious journals may not always be their primary considerations. More importantly, they may want their work to be quickly shared publicly with the research community and made visible to other researchers.
For researchers who need to pay more attention to journal rankings, database visibility, and citations, preprints can also provide a way to establish research priority before formal publication.
So, it really depends on how authors and readers perceive the value of preprints. Personally, I see great value in preprints. It appears to me that, in China, there are currently not many researchers like me who actively use them.
Q: In your view, what factors might discourage researchers from posting preprints?
The first is simply awareness of preprints. Once researchers are aware of preprints and understand how they work, they may see preprinting as a way to establish research priority. I think this is one of the most important benefits of preprints for many researchers.
There are also researchers who do not see preprints as the final version of their research because preprints have not been peer-reviewed.
Another critical practical consideration is that preprints may not yet contribute to career recognition and professional development in the same way that journal publications do.
Q: Based on your teaching experience, what particular value do preprints offer students and early-career researchers (ECRs)?
Beyond creating a dedicated space for interdisciplinary research, I think it could also be helpful for preprint platforms to offer more detailed subject areas related to academic writing, research methods, and general areas of doing research. Inviting professionals in these fields to share their work could be particularly valuable for students.
For ECRs, one of the primary concerns when accessing knowledge is the financial cost. Some research organizations, such as Tsinghua University, subscribe to academic journals so that faculty and students can access their content. But what happens when students graduate or when researchers work at institutions without these subscriptions?
Preprints are openly accessible and free to read. If awareness of preprints spreads among students and ECRs, and platforms provide broader and more interdisciplinary content, it could become easier for people both inside and outside research organizations to access knowledge.
This lowers the barrier to accessing knowledge and allows research to benefit a broader community. So preprints are not only a place to share research, but also a place to access knowledge.
The opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of Preprints.org. As part of our mission to share early research quickly, openly, and globally, we encourage open dialogue and welcome diverse perspectives.
Explore Prof. Wu’s research on Preprints.org
About Researcher Voices
Researcher Voices is an interview series showcasing how preprints influence research today. Through interviews with scholars, we highlight real experiences using preprints, as well as their role in and diverse engagements with open science.