Preprints: Accelerating Research – On Demand

What are preprints, and how are they changing how biomedical research results are shared?  

Should you use information from preprints? Should you share your own research results in a preprint?  

This one-hour, self-paced online course from the National Library of Medicine® explores the benefits and considerations of using and submitting preprints.

Resource URLs: https://nnlm.gov/training/class-catalog/preprints-accelerating-research and http://www.nlm.nih.gov/oet/ed/pmc/preprints 

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to: 

• Define the relationship between the preprint and the final paper 
• Explain the roles of preprints in the research cycle 
• Name key distinction between a preprint and an accepted author manuscript / published article 
• List three other possible differences between a preprint and the final paper 
• List benefits of using preprints in your work 
• List challenges associated with using preprints in your work 
• Outline considerations for using preprint information 
• List the main preprint repositories relevant to you 
• Explain the preprint content in PMC relevant to you 
• Properly cite a preprint 
• List considerations in identifying an appropriate preprint repository to deposit your work 
• Explain the difference between a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) vs. public domain 

Agenda

Four self-paced sections:  

1. What is a Preprint? 
2. Should I Use a Preprint? 
3. Where can I Find Preprints? 
4. How do I Submit a Preprint? 

MLA CE credits: 1.0