• What is Preprints.org?

    Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary preprint service that is dedicated to sharing your research from the very beginning and empowering your research journey. It is fully funded by MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing. It is run on a non-profit basis.

  • What are the benefits of posting a preprint?
    A preprint is an early version of a research paper that has not yet been peer-reviewed. By posting your research as a preprint, you can enjoy benefits including, but not limited to, the following:
    • Establish Precedence: Publicly share and record your research through a time-stamped preprint;

    • Fast Dissemination: Grant the scientific community free and early access to your research findings without the delays caused by the traditional publishing process;

    • Increased Visibility: Enhance the discoverability of your work and attract potential collaborators rapidly;

    • Early Feedback: Receive input from the scientific community before a formal peer review;

    • Credible and Citable: A permanent digital object identifier (DOI) will be allocated, making your paper instantly citable;

    • Grant Applications: Preprints can serve as early evidence for grant applications;

    • Demonstrate Productivity: Preprints can serve as endorsements for funding proposals or job applications, providing a record of your ongoing research activities;

    • Support Open Science: Preprints promote transparency and open sharing of scientific knowledge with the global community.
  • Why should you choose Preprints.org?
    Preprints.org offers unique advantages that make it an appealing choice for authors:
    • Free to post and read: Preprints.org is free for both authors and readers thus maximizing access to knowledge sharing within the scientific community globally;
    • No membership: We welcome new users to directly submit without requiring any endorsement;
    • All Disciplines: There are no restrictions in terms of research field. Preprints.org features research across all disciplines, allowing a diverse community of authors to share their work;
    • Community Engagement: Preprints.org fosters community engagement through public discussion and screening by our Advisory Board and screeners, enabling authors to receive valuable feedback and engage in the latest scientific discourse;
    • Web of Science Indexing: By posting your preprint with us, your research will be indexed in the “Web of Science - Preprint Citation Index”, and thus is discoverable by a wider readership;
    • Easy Submission: Navigate a straightforward, user-friendly, and efficient submission process that takes only 3 minutes;
    • Make Your Work Citable: Each preprint is registered with a unique digital object identifier (DOI) issued by Crossref, making it permanently available and citable;
    • Free Layout Editing Service: This service helps authors engage their readers with a professionally presented preprint, in addition to meeting the submission requirements of journals;
    • Free Plagiarism Check: Preprints.org provides free reports that highlight any instances of text duplication, along with advice on where to modify the text, helping to increase the likelihood of passing initial checks when submitting to a peer-reviewed journal;
    • Friendly Journals and MDPI Topics: We offer two services that provide a direct connection between journals and Preprints.org. Using these two channels, authors can save time by automatically transferring manuscript information to their journal of choice;
    • Open Access: All preprints are posted with a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, ensuring that authors retain the copyright and receive credit for their research, while allowing anyone to read and cite their work.
  • Do I need to pay any fees to post articles on Preprints.org?
    No. Preprints.org is a non-profit, multidisciplinary preprint server; posting on  Preprints.org is completely free.
  • How long does it take for a preprint to appear on the Preprints.org website following submission?
    We carry out a simple screening once a submission is received, so it usually takes less than 48 hours for a preprint to appear on the Preprints.org website, unless we find that some necessary information is missing. In this case, we will contact the authors to provide such information; therefore, it may take at least two days for a paper to be posted online.
  • Does Preprints.org have an impact factor?
    No. Preprints.org is not a journal, so it has no impact factor. 
  • Where are our preprints indexed?
    Preprints posted on Preprints.org are indexed in Crossref, Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Dimensions, Google Scholar, Europe PMC, PrePubMed, Scilit and SHARE.
  • Are comments permitted on Preprints.org?

    We encourage scholars to leave comments on any paper they find interesting. Preprints.org is also collaborating with PREREVIEW to receive comments and feedback from the wider research community. You can provide general comments on the presented research, make suggestions for extensions or improvements, or draw attention to certain parts for other readers. Comments will be screened for any offensive language and off-topic discussions before they are posted.

    Readers who would like their comments to be counted as a review can receive credit from Publons by linking their accounts.

  • What type of content can be posted on Preprints.org?
    Preprints.org posts papers from all fields of research that report scientifically sound and original findings or present a comprehensive review of a specific topic. The following types of submissions are suitable: articles, reviews, conference papers, data descriptions, essays, brief reports, case reports, communications, short notes, technical notes, and hypotheses
  • How do I submit my paper to Preprints.org? What information is required for this process?

    Click the submit preprint button in the top-right corner of any page on Preprints.org to submit your paper. You will be directed to the login page first if you have not logged in. If you have not yet registered an account on Preprints.org or any other MDPI platform, you will have to register and log in first to submit your paper.

    You will need to provide the following information to make a submission:

    • Manuscript title;

    • Abstract;

    • Keywords;

    • Names, affiliations, and email addresses for all authors (institutional email addresses or email addresses used in previously published papers are recommended);

    • A manuscript in a Microsoft Word or LaTeX format. For LaTeX files, please ensure that all the files necessary to create a PDF are included in a .zip or similar format;

    • Supplementary materials (if applicable);

    • Copyright holder permission (if applicable);

    • Some types of content, such as research conducted on humans or experimental animals, have additional requirements, such as providing an ethical approval statement from a research ethics committee, informed consent of the research participants, and information regarding conflicts of interest and/or funding concerns.

  • How can I make minor/typographical changes to my preprint?
    For minor/typographical modifications, we can directly update the preprint online. You will need to contact either the editor assigned to your paper (please select “Contact editor” under the “Submissions” tab in your profile) or info@preprints.org with the necessary changes/corrections.
  • How can I submit a revised version of my preprint?
    The process of submitting a revised version of a preprint is as follows:
    • If your paper has not been posted online yet, you can send your revised version to the editor directly via email. The editors will check and post your revised version online as the first version of the paper.
    • If your paper has already been posted online and you have found some minor typos or revisions that require correcting (for example, errors in the title, author names, author affiliations, or abstract), please send your updated version to the editor via email, highlighting the parts that require revisions. The editor will check and make the necessary revisions to the first version of the paper.
    • If your paper has already been posted online and you wish to make substantial updates to the content (for example, include new findings/data, expand the discussion, update the analysis in a manner that may lead to new conclusions, etc.), please log into your account, find the paper under the “online” tab, and click the “submit a follow-up version” button on the right to submit your new version. Our editor will check the new version as soon as possible, and an email will be sent to you once it has been posted online.
    Papers posted on Preprints.org can be revised at any time before being accepted by a journal following peer review. However, please note that some journals request that authors do not post versions that include changes made in response to the journal reviewers’ comments.
  • How can I update the author list?

    You can either directly contact the editor assigned to your paper or contact info@preprints.org with the necessary changes/corrections.

    If you need to make authorship changes, such as adding or removing authors from the preprint paper, you will need to clarify the contributions of all authors whose authorship has changed and the reasons for this change. A form must then be signed and agreed upon by all current authors.

  • Can I post a paper that is not written in English on Preprints.org?
    No. Only articles written in English can be posted on Preprints.org.
  • Can I submit an article to Preprints.org after I have submitted it to a journal?
    Authors are encouraged to submit their papers to Preprints.org at any stage before their papers are accepted by a journal. If your paper has already been published in a journal, you cannot submit it to Preprints.org.
  • Can I submit my article to an MDPI journal directly from Preprints.org?
    Yes. Log into Preprints.org, find the online preprint that you want to submit to an MDPI journal in your profile, and then click “submit to an MDPI journal” to complete your submission. 
  • Are the papers posted on Preprints.org peer-reviewed?

    No. The papers submitted to Preprints.org are not peer-reviewed before they are posted online.

  • What does it mean to "link published article", and why is this recommended?

    Preprints.org encourages all authors to link the peer-reviewed versions of their preprint papers for the benefit of both the authors and readers. After authors have linked the peer-reviewed version of their paper to the preprint paper, the citation format of the peer-reviewed journal article will be shown on the preprint page. Linking the peer-reviewed version of the paper to a posted preprint has the following benefits:

    1. Readers of the preprint can stay up to date on the subsequent progress of the research.

    2. It allows the peer-reviewed version to reach a wider audience and provide more reliable references for other researchers.

    3. By providing a link to the peer-reviewed version, Preprints.org can display citation instructions on the preprint page, encouraging readers to cite the peer-reviewed version and thereby increasing its number of citations and impact.

  • My paper has been rejected by a journal after being posted as a preprint. What are the implications of this?
    This rejection will not affect your preprint paper. Preprints posted on Preprints.org remain publicly available regardless of a journal’s decision to reject a paper. Most journals will consider manuscripts posted on preprint servers prior to submission. A list of journal policies can be found in the Sherpa Romeo database. We encourage you to consult this database, the journal’s specific policies, and the journal’s editorial office before submitting your paper to another journal, providing a link to your posted preprint on Preprints.org.
  • My paper has been published in a journal. What should I do next?

    Normally, no action is required from your side. Preprints.org should automatically link your preprint paper to its peer-reviewed version within 14 days. The submitting author and the corresponding author will be notified by email.

    Due to technical difficulties, sometimes this linking process is unsuccessful. Therefore, we encourage authors to manually link the peer-reviewed versions to their preprint papers by following the steps below:

    1. Log into Preprints.org;

    2. Go to your dashboard and find the preprint article under the “online” tab;

    3. Click the “link published article” button to submit the request.

    The Preprints.org editorial office will process your request as soon as possible.

  • Which journals allow the posting of preprints prior to submission?

    In most cases, journal publication will not be affected by posting a preprint. However, there are a few publishers who do not accept papers that have been posted on Preprints.org or other preprint servers prior to submission. We strongly recommend that you clarify this with all journals that you plan to submit to in advance. The preprint policies of many journals and publishers are available in the Sherpa Romeo database. 

  • What is the Friendly Journals service?
    Friendly Journals is a new service provided by Preprints.org. With this service, authors can now directly submit to a journal on Preprints.org (Preprints.org-to-journal, P2J). The manuscript information provided by authors will be automatically transferred to their chosen journal with a simple click. This means that authors do not need to spend their time browsing the journal webpage, uploading their manuscripts, and filling in an additional submission form. Check the full list of Friendly Journals here
  • Can I post an article on Preprints.org and other preprint servers at the same time?
    It is recommended that you only post your paper on one server. Since papers posted on most preprint servers are visible on Google Scholar, it may be off-putting to readers to see the same paper posted on multiple preprint servers. In addition, it may also negatively impact the citation data of your article. We may be inclined to decline your article if we find that it has been posted on another preprint server.
  • Can I withdraw an article before it is posted on Preprints.org?
    Yes. You can log into Preprints.org and withdraw a submitted paper. 
  • Can I remove my article after it has been posted on Preprints.org?

    No. Papers posted on Preprints.org with a registered DOI cannot be removed. They are indexed by services such as Google Scholar and Crossref, creating a permanent digital presence outside of our records. In some cases, papers may be “withdrawn” at the discretion of our editors and Advisory Board for the following reasons: 

    • Misconduct by authors, including plagiarism and data fabrication;

    • Egregious scientific errors that cannot be corrected by updating the paper;

    • When leaving a paper online would constitute an illegal act, including copyright violation.

    Please check the withdrawal policy carefully before posting your work.

  • What are the publishing ethics policies for Preprints.org?

    Preprints.org adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics(COPE) Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines. Note that COPE does not currently cover preprints specifically, but many of the same principles apply, including the following:

    • Authors must accurately present their research findings and include an objective discussion on the significance of such findings.

    • Plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, knowingly providing incorrect information, copyright infringement, inaccurate author attributions, attempts to inappropriately manipulate the screening process, failures to declare conflicts of interest, fraud, and libel are not permitted.

    • The posting of the submitted materials must not be illegal.

    • Manuscripts containing research conducted on humans or experimental animals must follow the Declaration of Helsinki and contain details of approval from a research ethics committee. The project identification code, date of approval, and name of the ethics committee or institutional review board must be cited in the “Methods” section.

    • The informed consent of research participants must be obtained if necessary. Authors must be able to provide a (redacted) copy of the consent form.

  • What are the copyright and intellectual property policies for Preprints.org?

    Preprints.org respects the intellectual property rights of researchers, scientists, publishers, and others and requests mutual respect among the academic community in this regard. To ensure that you have the right to upload or reproduce any published material (figures, schemes, tables, or any extract of a text), you should request permission from the copyright holder prior to posting on Preprints.org.

    Permission is required for the following:

    • Your own research published by other publishers and for which you do not retain the copyright.

    • Substantial extracts from research by any authors.

    • The use of tables, graphs, charts, schemes, and artworks if they are unaltered or altered with minor changes.

    • Photographs for which you do not hold the copyright.

    Permission is not required for the following:

    • The reconstruction of your own table with data already published elsewhere. Please note that, in this case, you must cite the source of the data in the form of either “Data from...” or “Adapted from...”.

    • Short quotes that are considered fair use, and thus do not require permission, must also be properly cited.

    • Graphs, charts, schemes, and artwork that have been completely redrawn by the authors and are altered beyond recognition.

  • What license is used for Preprints.org and what are its implications?
    All preprints are posted using an open access Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license. This means that research can be freely downloaded, distributed, and reused, provided that the author and preprint are cited in any reuse scenario. This allows maximum visibility for the research, while recognizing its authors. 

    All authors must agree to the following:

    • I grant Preprints.org a perpetual, non-exclusive license to distribute this article.

    • I certify that I have the right to grant this license.

    • I understand that submissions cannot be completely removed once accepted by Preprints.org and may appear on websites other than Preprints.org.

  • What is the policy on conflicts of interest for Preprints.org?

    Preprints.org applies the following ICMJE definition of a conflict of interest: “A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as patients’ welfare or the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain). Perceptions of conflict of interest are as important as actual conflicts of interest.”

    All authors must disclose all relationships or interests that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, financial interests (such as membership, employment, consultancies, ownership of stocks/shares, honoraria, grants or other funding, paid expert testimonies, and patent licensing arrangements) and non-financial interests (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, and personal beliefs).

    Authors can disclose potential conflicts of interest via the online submission system during the submission process. Declarations regarding conflicts of interest can also be documented in the MDPI disclosure form. The corresponding author must include a summary statement in the manuscript in a separate section, entitled “Conflicts of Interest”, placed just before the reference list. The statement should reflect all potential conflicts of interest disclosed in the form.

    See below for examples of disclosures:

    Conflicts of Interest: Author A has received research grants from Company A. Author B has received a speaker honorarium from Company X and owns stocks in Company Y. Author C has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in Company Z. Author D is the inventor of patent X.

    If there are no conflicts of interest, the authors should state the following:

    Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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