For more than 30 years, preprints have been part of the publishing landscape. They became normalized among the research community in 2020, after the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19). Pre-peer-review articles or preprint open-access manuscripts are an integral part of scientific publishing as they are published on the preprint servers publicly without a formal peer-review process. They allow researchers to share their findings with the world and get feedback before publishing it as a formal journal. Some of the benefits of preprints include swift accessibility, dissemination of work, contribution to the science field, and feedback from the community and peers, which will be discussed further in detail in this blog.

Understanding Working Mechanism of Engineering Research Preprints

• Preprints are not liable to the peer review process before publishing. After completing a few screening procedures, they can post their manuscript.
• Authors can assign unique Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to preprints to improve the reachability and credibility of the information.
• Anyone can freely access the manuscripts available on preprint servers.
• Authors can make changes to the preprint available online, but the previous variations will remain accessible to the reader.
• Preprint servers can be maintained by both non-profit communities and profit-oriented publishers. 

Benefits of preprints 

Below are various benefits of preprints in scholarly communication of research papers:

   • Researchers get faster results

To get quick publication results, researchers always count on preprints. They can get feedback from publishing the initial drafts of their research papers worldwide. This eliminates the likelihood of flaws in research before publishing the full research papers. Also, they might receive recommendations on new research approaches.

   • Timely recognition of innovative research

The traditional process of peer review before publishing can take a significant amount of time, from several months to years. With preprints, the researcher can receive their work’s credit. Preprints become very useful to publishers, especially when major delays are expected in the review process and similar findings come out before publishing the full research papers.

   • Preprints can be cited

Researchers can easily add citations to preprints because they are assigned a unique digital object identifier (DOI), providing a permanent internet source. As preprints are citable, researchers can include them in their bibliographies or reference lists, just as they would with peer-reviewed articles.

   • Improved visibility

Preprints can be viewed freely when they are published under an open access license, which increases their engineering preprint research dissemination among other researchers without any barrier. This ensures the research reaches the right and wider audience.

   • Access to research version history

Preprints give researchers access to view the history of an article or manuscript. They have the transparency to see how it has been developed and how many times it has been iterated. Preprints also provide insight into changes or improvements made during peer review.

Challenges of Preprints in Engineering:

1. Quality concerns: Preprints are not subjected to any peer review or formal scrutiny before they are published, raising concerns about reliability and relevance. Some engineering research preprints might not be as trustworthy as peer-reviewed journals.

2. Publishing misleading information: Due to a lack of quality control and free researcher dissemination on open-access platforms, it can become a misleading medium for someone who wants to publish fraudulent scientific claims.

3. Might damage the author’s reputation: Preprints bypass the peer review process, which typically acts as a safeguard to improve articles and filter out low-quality work before publication. Without this review, poor-quality preprints can be made publicly available, which could negatively impact an author’s reputation.

4. ​​​Excessive information: The increase in preprints in engineering research is resulting in information overload, which makes it difficult for researchers to discover and analyze relevant, credible information.

The Future of Preprints in Engineering Research

Growing Adoption: Preprint servers are increasingly embraced by engineering researchers, promoting rapid dissemination of findings and fostering collaboration within the community.

Impact on Traditional Journals: The rise of preprints challenges traditional peer-reviewed journals, potentially leading to more flexible submission processes and innovative review practices to maintain relevance in the evolving landscape.

Shaping Future Research: By enabling the swift sharing of preliminary findings, preprints can accelerate advancements in engineering research, facilitate community feedback, and enhance the overall quality of published work.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, preprints play a pivotal role in the future of engineering research by promoting swift dissemination of findings, impacting traditional peer-reviewed journals, and shaping the research landscape. Their increasing adoption is vital for fostering collaboration and driving innovation within the field. Engaging with preprint culture allows researchers to enhance the accessibility and influence of their work in advancing engineering knowledge.