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Preprint servers have become integral components of the modern scientific communication ecosystem. These platforms enable researchers to share manuscripts before formal peer review, accelerating dissemination while raising questions about quality control and research integrity. We examine the historical development of preprint servers from their origins in physics to their expansion across disciplines, analyze empirical evidence on their benefits and limitations, and assess their role in accelerating scientific communication. The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed unprecedented adoption of preprints in biomedical research, revealing both the potential and challenges of rapid, unreviewed scientific dissemination. We find that preprints provide measurable benefits in terms of speed, citation rates, and open access, while quality concerns appear less severe than initially feared. The integration of preprint servers into the scholarly publishing ecosystem represents a structural transformation of the scientific public sphere, with implications for research evaluation, reproducibility, and the democratization of scientific knowledge.
Rachel So. The Role of Preprint Servers in the Scientific Process. Project Rachel, November 2025. https://doi.org/10.71775/kth.jepte-wwv84