Research passes through several stages of revision and review before it’s published online. However, the need for the fast dissemination of research sometimes means that these reviewing stages must be bypassed to ensure important knowledge circulates without obstruction within the scientific ecosystem. For these reasons, multiple versions of a manuscript may exist at one point. These versions include preprints, postprints, and the final version of record. Researchers can become confused by these various types of manuscript, so it’s crucial they learn the differences between each.
To help researchers understand preprints vs postprints vs the version of record, we’ll compare each type, while also highlighting the potential benefits – and limitations – of preprints compared to other manuscript types.
What is a preprint?
A preprint is an early or in-progress version of a research article. This version is hosted on a preprint server, an online platform typically dedicated to making early versions of research outputs permanently available and citable via open licensing. On Preprints.org, preprints are posted publicly under a Creative Commons (CC) BY 4.0 license.
The purpose of a preprint is to facilitate the dissemination of research throughout the scientific community. Preprint platforms achieve this by expediating the public sharing process. Lengthy and complex peer review processes are replaced by essential checks, such as the validation of scientific content and ethical compliance. As a result, preliminary findings are made freely available to the public as quickly as possible. This supports the principles of open science while informing research and public policies.
What is a postprint?
A postprint is the version of a research article accepted for publication after peer review but not yet formatted by the journal. Postprints are also referred to as the author accepted manuscript (AAM).
The purpose of a postprint is to ensure access to already reviewed and accepted research. Acceptance-to-publication lag can extend to a year, particularly in traditional journals, and many modern OA journals now publish articles after acceptance within weeks or days. Even so, postprints remain an important means to access this research whilst the publication process is completed. Access is made possible by authors depositing the manuscript into a green open access repository.
What is the version of record?
Finally, the version of record is considered the final, citable, and digitally preserved version of the manuscript. In addition to passing peer review, the version of record goes through typesetting and formatting by the publisher. It is also assigned a DOI, as well as being supported by other metadata, making it easier to discover.
The purpose of the version of record is to serve as an authoritative reference for other researchers wishing to cite reviewed and professionally published research. The version of record also helps institutions check the publishing track record of authors.
Preprints vs postprints vs version of record: benefits and limitations
In the scientific community, the preprints vs postprints vs version of record debate exists because each type of manuscript has its own unique benefits and limitations for authors. So, how do preprints compare with other manuscript types?
Benefits
Here are some of the benefits that set preprints apart from postprints and the version of record:
- Establishes priority of discovery and ideas;
- Quick dissemination of work;
- Opportunity to receive early and comprehensive feedback;
- Increases flow of scientific information.
The most immediate benefit for researchers posting a preprint is that it gets their work out into the world quickly. Postprints and the version of record both need to pass peer review before publication, but the speed of this process is difficult to guarantee. Journals usually ask reviewers to complete their reviews within 3–4 weeks; however, delays can significantly lengthen this process.
In contrast, preprints can be shared publicly within a matter of days, with screenings typically taking less than one business day. This fast dissemination of work enables researchers to establish priority of discovery and ideas easily. At the same time, the broader research community benefits from the increased flow of scientific information.
The open nature of preprints also means that authors can receive early and comprehensive feedback in the form of comments from the academic community. The academic integrity and originality of postprints and the version of record are usually judged by one or two experts. The open sharing of a preprint immediately opens up the feedback process to the broader academic community. Subsequently, researchers able to see how their work engages other researchers across a variety of disciplines.
Limitations
Despite these clear benefits, authors should be aware of the potential limitations of preprints, such as:
- No peer review;
- Potential for misinformation;
- Citation and credibility concerns;
- Some journals may not accept research previously posted as a preprint.
The biggest limitation of preprints is the lack of peer review. This means that whilst the content is screened, the methods and data are not yet vetted. Consequently, there is the risk of preprints containing incorrect analyses or misleading findings. It is worth nothing however that preprints can be updated after they have been posted online (something which cannot be done with postprints or the final version of record) through a process called “versioning”. As a result, preprints are more flexible when it comes to integrating corrections or new developments which might affect any findings.
There are citation and credibility concerns surrounding preprints to be aware of too. The final version of record is seen by researchers as being more reliable to cite because of formal peer review, editorial validation and stable DOIs. At Preprints.org, preprint versioning assigns a new DOI to each updated version of the mansucript. Researchers and readers should make sure they are citing the correct version of the manuscript.
Finally, authors should be aware that some journals do not accept research previously shared in the form of a preprint. If unsure, check the journal’s instructions for authors page.
Posting with Preprints.org
The preprints vs postprints vs version of record debate may continue to linger for some time, but authors can experience the benefits of posting a preprint almost immediately. At Preprints.org, we empower researchers to freely and instantly share their work with a global audience, helping you gain early feedback, boost visibility, and accelerate discovery. Join over 420,000 researchers advancing open science on our accessible, multidisciplinary platform. Ready to submit? Upload your preprint today and make your work quickly discoverable.
Just exploring? Browse over 120,000 preprints across disciplines and stay ahead of the latest research.
