Exploring scholarly perceptions of preprint servers

Abstract

Introduction. Preprint servers play an important role in scholarly communication. The study investigates scholars’ engagement, experiences, and perceptions regarding the use of these servers, both as information sources and publishing venues This qualitative study seeks to extend our understanding of how these servers operate within the academic ecosystem and influence scholarly communication. Method. Data was collected through 32 semi-structured interviews with scholars from different disciplines, to explore their engagement, experiences and perceptions in using these platforms. Analysis. The data collected from these interviews underwent thematic content analysis using ATLAS.ti software. This analysis facilitated the organization and thematic examination of the textual narratives derived from the interviews. Results. In this study, scholars discussed their perceptions about the benefits of using preprint servers in scholarly work such as rapid dissemination of information and open access, but also raised concerns regarding the lack of peer review for the studies uploaded to these servers. Conclusion. These findings emphasize the growing, yet diverse, role preprint servers play in scholarly communication and their differential impact across academic disciplines.