Introducing PReF: Preprint Review Features – ASAPbio

"Preprint reviews hold the potential to build trust in preprints and drive innovation in peer review. However, the variety of platforms available to contribute comments and reviews on preprints means that it can be difficult for readers to gain a clear picture of the process that led to the reviews linked to a particular preprint. 

To address this, ASAPbio organized a working group to develop a set of features that could describe preprint review processes in a way that is simple to implement. We are proud to share Preprint Review Features (PReF) in an OSF Preprint. PReF consists of 8 key-value pairs, describing the key elements of preprint review. The white paper includes detailed definitions for each feature, an implementation guide, and an overview of how the characteristics of active preprint review projects map to PReF. We also developed a set of graphic icons (below) that we encourage the preprint review community to reuse alongside PReF. 

While the Peer Review Terminology developed by the STM working group and the Open Peer Review taxonomy provided useful background for our discussions, they were designed with a focus on journal-based peer review, and do not capture all the possible elements that can be part of preprint review. We acknowledge that there are nuances and different views as to what constitutes “peer review,” “feedback,” and “commenting;” rather than create strict definitions, our aim was to parse out important aspects of the process involved in any form of review on preprints, and to do so in a format that could be used by platforms that host, coordinate, or aggregate such activities. Therefore, we are glad to see that PReF is already implemented on ReimagineReview and on review aggregators like Early Evidence Base and Sciety. We hope that our efforts in the development and adoption of PReF will promote better visibility and discoverability of preprint review...."