Preprints in comparative physiology – a guide for the preprint curious | Journal of Experimental Biology | The Company of Biologists

Abstract:  The deposition of pre-peer-reviewed scientific articles in repositories as preprints has been practised for over 50 years. Recently, the popularity of this practice has surged, particularly in chemistry and physics disciplines. In the life sciences, bioRxiv is a popular preprint server; however, its usage varies greatly between fields. Preprinting is not common practice within comparative physiology, with the number of manuscripts submitted lagging far behind that seen in other fields. In this Perspective, we dig into the possible explanations for this difference. We explore common concerns regarding the deposition and use of preprints and highlight some relevant reasons why preprints are helpful to the field of comparative physiology. We strongly believe that use of preprints can help to improve transparency in the scientific publishing process and will be an important component of publishing for all fields of science in the future.