How PeerRef Works

PeerRef organises journal-independent open peer review of Preprints

Learn how our peer review process works below. To become a referee, register here.

Step 1: Before peer review

  • Authors should publish their preprint before requesting peer review. This ensure the research is immediately open access.

    We recommend using a preprint platform that will index a preprint and create a digital object identifier (DOI). The DOI provides a persistent link to the manuscript and allows it to be cited. For information on individual Preprint servers, we recommend ASAPbio’s directory of Preprint servers.

  • Authors request peer review by filling in the request peer review form. We perform quality checks then organise peer review. We are journal-agnostic and our checks do not consider novelty or perceived impact.

  • To reduce the administrative burden on researchers, we do not have an editorial board that selects reviewers.

    Using a mix of internal and third-party tools we identify suitable expert reviewers at scale for all types of research.

    We will endeavour to contact potential referees within one day of acknowledging a peer review request.

Step 2: Peer review

  • Referees are sent a link to the preprint and peer review form to complete. Referees should provide constructive feedback and an assessment of the rigour and validity of the research.

    The referee will make a decision on the manuscript:

    - Verified: The content is scientifically sound, only minor amendments (if any) are suggested.

    - Verified with reservations: The content is scientifically sound but has shortcomings that could be improved by further studies and/or minor revisions.

    - Requires revisions: The manuscript contains objective errors or fundamental flaws that must be addressed and/or major revisions are suggested.

  • We check complete review reports, send them to the author and publish them.

    Peer reviews are published on:

    • Our platform. Peer reviews are assigned a DOI.

    • bioRxiv and medRxiv’s Via the TRiP feature — this shows review reports alongside Preprints

    • eLife’s Sciety aggregates Preprints and corresponding PeerRef reviews

    Please note: peer reviews that are very short, lack detail, or can be considered ‘low quality’ will be posted online. But, the referee decision will not count towards the status of the manuscript. In this case, an additional referee will be added.

  • Authors have the opportunity to address any revisions.

    Authors should update their preprint, and write a response to the referees, detailing the amendments. The Author response is published alongside the peer review.

  • We ask referees to assess the response/revisions and change their decision if appropriate. If a referee does not reassess the revised preprint, we will seek peer review from an additional referee.

  • Preprints on the PeerRef platform are given a peer review status:

    Partial peer review: One peer review report is complete

    Refereed: Two peer review reports are complete with any decision

    Verified with reservations: Two peer review reports are complete with the decision ‘verified with reservations’.

    Verified: Two peer review reports are complete with the decision ‘verified’

Step 3: Author choice

  • Authors can add a PeerRef banner to the title page of their preprint. The banner shows the peer review status of the preprint and the referee names.

  • Authors can share their refereed preprint with their community.

    Funders are beginning to recognise the refereed preprints. In 2022 cOAlition S announced that they consider peer reviewed preprints to be of equivalent merit to peer-reviewed journal publications.

    Several research funders have also individually committed to including peer-reviewed preprints in their evaluation processes.

  • Authors can submit the manuscript to a partner journal for rapid publication. Editors at partner journals will consider PeerRef peer review reports in publication decisions.

    Our list of partner journals on our publisher-partnerships page.

    PeerRef is also a Plan P certified peer review service. Through the Plan P initiative we provide authors with a quick path to publication for any verified medRxiv and bioRxiv preprint in the JMIRx overlay journal.

  • Authors are welcome to submit their refereed preprint and associated peer reviews to any journal for consideration.

    When submitting a refereed preprint to a journal for publication, we recommend that authors send a link to the peer reviews on the PeerRef platform.

    We cannot assure that editors of non-partner journals will consider peer review reports in publication decisions