Abstract
Preprints in science are nothing new. They are well established in the physical sciences, and experiments with preprints in medical sciences date back to the 1990s. When scientists imagine the future of scientific communication, preprints are inevitably an important component. The future, in this case, was slow to arrive but it is definitely here now.
A preprint is a version of a scientific article that precedes its publication in a peer-reviewed journal. At one extreme, a preprint may be unedited, never peer-reviewed, or never published in a scholarly journal but simply posted on a preprint archive. The intention, however, is that by posting an article on a preprint archive, the article is freely accessible and will receive comments from the scientific community so that it can be improved before submission to a journal.
The onus is on journals to be open to receiving and publishing articles that were initially posted on a preprint archive. The logic is clear. Journals slow down and restrict (through access controls) the dissemination of scientific findings. They make subjective and inconsistent decisions. If journals truly serve science, they will welcome preprints because important findings will not be unnecessarily delayed. Journals believe that their peer-review process improves articles for publication. This is how journals add value. Prior posting on a preprint archive will only improve an article further.
ArXiv was one of the earliest preprint archives. Created for the physical sciences in 1991 and now owned by Cornell University, arXiv receives thousands of submissions a month. Now, new preprint archives are being set up to cater for different fields of science and different languages. BioRxiv for the life sciences is endorsed by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council. Medical preprint archives are beginning to reappear following past failed experiments.
Preprints in medical science are now inevitable, and JRSM supports authors who wish to post their articles on preprint archives. These preprints will still be considered for publication in JRSM in the usual way. All we ask is that you notify us of the prior publication in a preprint archive and include a link to the preprint. You should do this in your cover letter, front page of your article and in the declarations. JRSM will add a new declaration to its list of declarations specifically related to preprint archives. We also ask that you review any comments that your article receives on the preprint archive and incorporate the ones that you believe will improve your article. Again, you should tell us in your covering letter what you have done.
JRSM’s publication policies are in favour of an open scientific dialogue. That is why our research papers remain open access, and we do not request an open access fee unless this is included in your research grant. Indeed, this issue of JRSM reminds us of the importance of scientific inquiry, 1 the value of different methodologies 2 and the role of research databases. 3 Embracing preprints in medical science is a natural next step for JRSM that other journals should take too. It is one small step for an individual journal but a giant step for medical science.