Preprints are a kind of scientific work that is becoming increasingly popular among researchers and scientists. At the present stage of the development of science, this trend can be interpreted ambiguously. On the one hand, with the help of preprints, there is a rapid exchange of scientific information, and on the other hand, published data cannot be equated with full scientific articles, because they have not passed the review procedure.
Preprint as a unique type of scientific work
Often preprint in its structure and content does not differ from a full-fledged scientific article, but in some cases it may be an incomplete or draft version. Such documents are placed on special services. This happens before submitting an article to the journal or in parallel with it.
This kind of scientific material has several functions: firstly, the researcher has the opportunity to bring up his work for discussion of colleagues. By publishing the preprint, the author presents the idea of the work and has the opportunity to obtain feedback from other researchers. This becomes a unique element of communication between scientists from all over the world, so researchers who are interested in learning from those sharing experiences, thoughts, initiating research programs and developing international cooperation.
This format of communication among scientists is somewhat reminiscent of the period when scientific publications, and even more so international databases, were not a common format for the exchange of scientific information. At the time, the authors used correspondence, sending materials to colleagues by mail, bypassing the stage of publication in the journal.
Second, the publication of preprints occurs extremely quickly (1-2 days), while for scientific articles this period is much longer. However, it is not necessary to perceive such a version of the work as a full-fledged scientific article. After all, the material does not pass the review procedure.
Where can I find the preprints?
There are many preprint hosting services, one of the most popular is arXiv.org. This resource was founded over 30 years ago by Paul Ginsparg in 1991. In addition, there are many specialized services: bioRxiv (for the placement of research with biological sciences), medRxiv (medical sciences), SSRN (social sciences) and others.
It is important to note that preprints can be assigned a unique DOI digital identifier. Also, information about preprints placed on specialized services can be associated with the profile in ORCID.
In 2017, the preprints began to be displayed in the scientometric database Scopus, taking into account the specifics of this type of scientific work:
1. Scopus will not display preprint information in the author’s profile unless the researcher has published peer-reviewed works in the database journals.
2. Although, even in the absence of a review, preprints may cite other scientists and refer to them, for this type of work metrics are not calculated.
3. Preprint is not removed from the author’s profile, even if the researcher has published these materials in the journal as a scientific article.
4. The scientometric database does not add information about the availability of non-reviewed publications, but integrates them from specialized services.
5. The profile displays information on preprints published later than January 1, 2017. Elsevier explains this by the fact that earlier works are no longer relevant, it is unlikely that the research behind their materials is still carried out.
Information about the availability of published preprints is displayed in the author’s profile:
Preprints in Scopus: What’s the Advantage?
The addition of information about the published, not reviewed works, as well as their publication on the relevant specialized services, has many advantages for the scientist:
• Enables the development of scientific capability and effective communication within the research community. In the future, this can be a good basis for scientific cooperation at the local and international level.
• Display the most recent and current information. Often, the publication process in rating publications is criticized for the length of the review process. On average, publication in such journals takes from six months to a year, and sometimes more. Therefore, to assess recent trends in research, often resort to the study of preprints.
• Program and grant execution control. The sponsoring organizations can use the preprints to assess at what stage of the study the funded research is at, how active it is and what conclusions scientists have reached at this stage.
If you need help with the publication of your scientific work in journals of international scientific databases or you have questions about the publication process, please contact the specialists of the company Scientific Publications. You will be provided with professional advice and complex follow-up support. We look forward to cooperating!
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