Preprints.org

🌐 Website: https://www.preprints.org
📍 Country: Switzerland
📂 Affiliation: Operated by MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
📚 Area(s) of Study (AOS): Multidisciplinary – Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Engineering, and more

🧠 Introduction

Launched in 2016, Preprints.org is an open-access platform dedicated to the rapid dissemination of early research outputs across all scientific disciplines. Supported by MDPI, it provides a venue for researchers to share their findings promptly, receive feedback, and establish precedence before formal peer review. The platform emphasizes transparency, accessibility, and broad visibility within the scholarly community.

🛠️ Key Features & Functions

Multidisciplinary Coverage: Accepts submissions from all areas of research, including but not limited to biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and social sciences.

Open Access: All preprints are freely accessible under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, promoting wide dissemination and reuse.

DOI Assignment: Each preprint receives a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI) via Crossref, ensuring persistent and citable records.

Version Control: Authors can upload revised versions of their preprints, with each version receiving a distinct DOI.

Integration with MDPI Journals: Facilitates seamless submission to MDPI journals through the “Preprints Friendly Journals” initiative.

Indexing: Preprints are indexed in databases such as Europe PMC, Google Scholar, and Crossref, enhancing discoverability.

Community Engagement: Features a commenting system allowing readers to provide public or private feedback to authors.

PREreview Integration: Authors can opt-in to receive community feedback from PREreview during submission, fostering open peer review practices.

⚖️ Editorial & Ethical Standards

Screening Process: Submissions undergo a basic screening for relevance, ethical compliance, and adherence to submission guidelines.

Ethical Compliance: Authors must ensure proper reporting of studies involving humans, animals, or plants, and obtain necessary ethical approvals.

Withdrawal Policy: Preprints cannot be completely removed once posted; however, authors can update their submissions with revised versions.

Licensing: All content is published under the CC BY 4.0 license, allowing for broad reuse with appropriate attribution.

💬 User Experience & Community Feedback

Strengths:

Community Feedback: Commenting system and PREreview integration encourage scholarly discussion and early feedback.

Rapid Dissemination: Quick posting of preprints, often within one business day after screening.

User-Friendly Interface: Straightforward submission process with clear instructions and support.

Broad Visibility: Indexing in multiple databases and integration with author profiles (e.g., ORCID) enhances reach.

Criticisms:

License Restrictions: Mandatory CC BY 4.0 license may conflict with policies of certain journals that do not accept preprints under this license.

MDPI Affiliation: Some researchers express concerns regarding MDPI’s publishing practices, which may influence perceptions of the platform.

🗣️ Have experience with this platform? Help others decide.

Share your insights in the comments below. Tell us:

• 💲 Cost – Was it truly free? Any hidden charges or integration fees?
• ⏱️ Posting Speed – Was your preprint published quickly after submission
• 🌍 Visibility – Did your preprint gain views, downloads, or media attention
• 🤝 Community Interaction – Did you receive feedback, comments, or engagement
• ⚠️ Concerns – Anything unexpected or frustrating during submission or post-publication?
• ⭐ Your overall rating – Click here to submit

Your feedback helps other researchers make smarter, more confident decisions. Thank you for contributing to a more transparent publishing community!

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The information presented in this review is compiled from publicly available third-party sources, including the platform’s official website, publisher documentation, and independent directories (e.g., COPE, Crossref, ASAPbio). This review is intended for informational purposes only and does not represent the views or official statements of the platform or its affiliates.

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