Preprints.org marks 10th anniversary with Popular Preprints award
Preprints.org has announced a new initiative titled the Popular Preprints of the Decade Award.
This launch is intended to celebrate the Preprint.org’s 10th anniversary. Consequently, the community-driven award will run throughout 2026 to recognise the most impactful research from the past 10 years.
The initiative aims to highlight papers that have been widely read, shared, and discussed by the global scientific community. Furthermore, the voting process will be open to the public, with community voting scheduled to begin in September.
Since its initial launch in May 2016, Preprints.org has experienced significant growth. It now hosts over 126,000 preprints. In addition, more than 429,000 researchers have contributed to the platform, resulting in over 25 million views globally.
Improving integration with academic databases
A key part of the platform’s success is its visibility within the scholarly ecosystem. Preprints hosted on the server are now discoverable across nine major academic databases. These include the Web of Science Preprint Citation Index, Europe PMC, and Google Scholar. Furthermore, researchers can find content via Scilit, Dimensions, and OpenAlex.
This level of integration is vital for librarians and information professionals. It ensures that early-stage research is accessible and easy to track. Moreover, the platform aims to increase the speed of dissemination across the scholarly community and the wider public. To support this, Preprints.org has introduced the Preprints Friendly Journals initiative. This programme connects the rapid nature of preprints with the traditional rigour of journal-based peer review.
Accelerating the global open science movement
Alistair Freeland, Chief Operating Officer at MDPI and a founding member of the Preprints.org team, reflected on the mission of the platform. He noted that the server was launched because science should not wait behind closed doors. Consequently, he believes that research becomes stronger and more impactful when it is shared early.
Freeland envisions a future where preprints are a natural part of the research workflow. He suggests that posting a preprint should be as common as data collection or peer review. As a result, this helps to ensure that knowledge remains accessible and transparent. It also ensures that discoveries are strengthened through collective insight from the global research community.
Preprints.ord 10th anniversary: Upholding research integrity and community standards
Dr Ioana Craciun, the Scientific Content Lead at MDPI and advisor for Preprints.org, also commented on the milestone. She noted that the platform has evolved into a vibrant global community. In addition to connecting researchers, the platform helps scientific discoveries reach the community faster than ever before.
However, Dr Craciun also emphasised the importance of maintaining high standards. She stated that as the platform grows, so does its responsibility toward the industry. As a scientific advisor, she views research integrity as a non-negotiable factor. Nevertheless, Preprints.org has consistently worked to strengthen its adherence to these vital standards. The platform remains a non-profit server operated by MDPI, dedicated to the advancement of open science.