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Risks and downsides of over‑reliance on preprints for literature review
Paper Discussion
Preprints grant fast access to cutting‑edge research, yet they have not passed formal peer review. What pitfalls should researchers watch out for when building literature surveys heavily based on preprint resources?
Feng Cai, Fang Wang and 30 others5 Comments-
Preprint conclusions may get heavily modified or even retracted after formal peer review.
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Some preprints contain uncaught experimental flaws that would be filtered out in journal review.
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Citing too many unreviewed sources may draw criticism from some reviewers.
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Always double‑check whether a preprint later received a revised journal‑published version.
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I also try to separate preprint content from validated published work in my notes.
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