Preprints, such as those appearing on bioRxiv, have become a speedy way for scientists to share their results, but they haven’t been peer reviewed.
By Jeffrey BrainardEvery day, scientists post dozens of preprints—studies that have not been peer reviewed—on public servers such as bioRxiv.
Preprints allow scientists access to cutting-edge findings faster than when authors submit their findings to traditional journals, which often take months to complete reviews.But what preprints gain in speed, they may lose in reliability and credibility, critics say, because peer review can finger mistakes and deficiencies.
That’s a worry especially for findings about medical treatments that nonscientists might misinterpret, possibly at risk to their
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