A preprint is a complete, publicly available draft of scientific work that has not yet been certified through peer review. A peer-reviewed paper has gone through a formal evaluation by journal reviewers and editors; if accepted, it may then appear as an accepted manuscript and later as the journal’s formally published version. A preprint can eventually become a peer-reviewed paper, but posting it does not mean a journal has accepted it.
What “preprint” means
The National Library of Medicine defines preprints as “complete and public drafts of scientific documents, not yet certified by peer review.” The term describes a manuscript’s stage in the publication process, not a rating of its quality. A preprint is not automatically bad research, but its findings have not received the certification associated with formal peer review.
Posting a preprint makes a version of the work publicly accessible, often while the authors are seeking feedback or submitting it to a journal. The author may later revise it. Readers should treat its conclusions as provisional: NLM cautions that research details, results, and conclusions may change during peer review. NLM’s NIH Preprint Pilot page explains both the definition and the pilot’s handling of eligible preprints.
How the publication stages differ
| Stage | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Preprint | A complete public draft that has not yet been certified by peer review. | Version date, server label, and whether a later reviewed version exists. |
| Accepted manuscript | A version accepted by a journal after review; it may include changes made in response to reviewers and editors. | Acceptance status and how its text differs from the preprint. |
| Published journal article | The journal’s formal record, which may include copy-editing, formatting, and other publisher production work. | Journal name, publication details, and DOI for the record. |
These labels describe different versions and statuses, not necessarily three separate research projects. A published paper may be closely related to an earlier preprint, but readers should not assume the wording, results, or conclusions are identical. NLM’s PMC user guide describes how preprint records can be linked with later versions when available.
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Does a preprint get checked?
It may receive screening, but screening is not the same as peer review. A repository can check whether a submission fits its scope or meets its policies and categorize it before making it available. That process does not provide the same evaluation or certification as journal peer review. The National Academies notes that articles on preprint servers are screened and categorized, while also distinguishing that work from peer review in Open Science by Design.
Likewise, finding a preprint in a scholarly database does not mean that it is a peer-reviewed journal article. In the NIH Preprint Pilot, eligible items are added to PMC and receive a corresponding PubMed citation; NLM identifies them as preprints rather than treating database inclusion as peer-review certification. The pilot is a discovery program, not a general approval of the research.
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How to assess a preprint or compare it with a later paper
Before relying on a preprint for a technical, medical, or policy decision, establish which version you are reading and whether a reviewed paper has appeared. Check:
- Review status: Is the item explicitly labeled as a preprint, an accepted manuscript, or a published journal article?
- Version date: Which version are you reading, and when was it posted or revised?
- Changes in substance: If a later paper exists, compare its methods, results, and conclusions with the preprint rather than assuming review left them unchanged.
- Formal record: Identify the journal version and its DOI, if one exists, and confirm that the link refers to the same work.
Peer review is a formal process, not a guarantee that a paper is correct. The distinction tells you what kind of scrutiny a version has undergone; it does not settle the strength of its evidence. Read the methods and limitations, and weigh the work alongside relevant evidence rather than treating either a preprint label or a journal label as a verdict.
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How to cite a preprint
Cite the version you actually consulted and identify it as a preprint when it has not been peer reviewed. If a later peer-reviewed paper is available, check whether that version is the more appropriate source for the claim you are making. NLM’s PMC user guide describes links between preprint records and later versions where available; citation conventions can differ across journals and disciplines.
NIH-specific rules for funded interim products
For interim products claimed as products of an NIH award, the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 8.2.5, revised March 2026, specifies public availability, a clear statement that the work is not peer reviewed, acknowledgment of NIH funding, and disclosure of competing interests. This is NIH-specific guidance, not a universal rule for every preprint, repository, or funder. NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 8.2.5
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What the NIH Preprint Pilot does—and does not—show
NLM reported that more than 3,300 preprints describing NIH-supported COVID-19 research were made discoverable in PMC and PubMed from June 2020 through June 2022 during Phase 1 of the NIH Preprint Pilot. That is a historical count for a specific pilot and research area, not a measure of all preprints or their current annual volume. The count also does not establish what share of preprints later become peer-reviewed papers.
For Phase 2, which NLM says began January 30, 2023, the pilot covers eligible preprints meeting its NIH-support or affiliation and server criteria. Its purpose is to improve discovery of qualifying work; database presence remains distinct from journal review and acceptance. Details and eligibility are described on NLM’s NIH Preprint Pilot page.
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Can a preprint later be published?
Yes. Authors may revise a preprint and later publish the work in a peer-reviewed journal, but publication is not automatic. Journal policies also vary. For example, Elsevier notes that some society-owned titles and journals using double-anonymized review have different preprint rules; authors should check the specific journal’s Guide for Authors before posting or submitting a manuscript. See Elsevier’s sharing policy.
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