#88 Preprints

Recently, during a training session, I was talking about preprints and recommending their use. Then I got many questions from the participants.

Let me share here what I said:

A few years ago, I uploaded my first manuscript online before it was published
No journal. No peer review yet. Just the paper, out in the internet

At that time, it was a bit strange when everyone was talking about publishing in journals

But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made

Since then, I probably uploaded 99% of my manuscripts as preprints, mainly on arXiv and Research Square.

Attendees to my sessions usually ask the following questions

What if someone took the idea?
What if the journal is not supporting preprints?

Preprints really changed how I think about publishing

Let me explain why:

First, what is a preprint (in simple terms)?

A preprint is just your manuscript… shared publicly before (or during) peer review.

That’s it.

You upload it to a platform (called a preprint server), and within a day or two:

• Your work is online

• People can read it

• People can comment on it

• You get a DOI (a permanent identifier)

No waiting for months.

Why preprints are growing fast

We all know that traditional publishing is slow.

You submit a paper, then you wait for reviewers, next they revise it
You wait again, then maybe accept it and your paper gets published

That can take months. Sometimes more than a year.
Now compare that with preprints:

→ Upload your manuscript today
→ Share it tomorrow

This is exactly why preprints exploded during COVID
Researchers needed to share results fast.
Tens of thousands of papers were released as preprints before formal publication.

Why I personally use preprints

For me, there are 3 big reasons.

1. Speed

Instead of waiting months, your work is visible almost immediately.
If you’re working on something important, this matters.

2. Feedback

When your work is public, people can comment, challenge, and improve it
Sometimes you get insights you wouldn’t get from 2 or 3 anonymous reviewers

3. Visibility (and ownership)

This is the part many people miss. When you upload a preprint:

• You get a DOI

• Your work is timestamped

• Your idea is clearly yours

So instead of “risking” your idea… and thinking someone may steal it
You’re actually protecting it.

“But what about journals?”

This is the most common question I get.

“Can I still publish if I share a preprint?”
Short answer is Yes.

Most journals today accept preprints (just mention that in your cover letter).
Many even encourage them.

Some publishers actively look at preprint servers to find new papers and invite authors
Preprints can actually help your work get noticed earlier.

What about intellectual property?

This is another fear. “What if someone takes my work?”

Inreality, preprints come with:

• A DOI

• A public timestamp

• A license (usually Creative Commons)

That means your work must be cited and attributed if used by someone else.

So again, you’re not losing control or authorship. Your contribution is recorded and can be tracked

Where do you upload a preprint?

There are many platforms depending on your field.

A few well-known ones:

• arXiv (physics, maths, computer science, etc.)

• bioRxiv

• medRxiv

• SSRN

• Research Square (multidisciplinary)

Personally, I’ve used arXiv and Research Square the most.

Simple, fast, and widely used in my field

To conclude, preprints are part of something bigger called Open research/Open Science

The idea is simple: Research should be shared faster, more openly, and more transparently

Instead of the old cycle: Write → wait → publish → share

We have: Write → share → improve → publish

A much more dynamic process.

One important thing to remember

A preprint is not peer-reviewed (yet).

So:

• Don’t treat it as final

• Be open to feedback

• Expect to revise

Think of it as a strong draft, not the finished product.

My simple rule

If your paper is Clear, structured and ready for review

Then it’s ready to be a preprint.

One last point: if you work on new versions (for example after addressing the peer reviewers’ comments) then upload the latest version. The preprint servers support versioning as well.

Ultimately, the latest version is the final/published version

I know that sharing work early feels uncomfortable
We are all used to waiting for the “perfect” version

But research doesn’t need to be hidden until it’s polished.
If it’s good enough, upload it and share it

Sometimes, sharing early is what makes it better.

I would love to hear from you:

Have you ever uploaded a preprint?
Or are you still avoiding preprints?

See you next Sunday.
Jamal