Frequently asked questions

1. What is a preprint?
2. Are the preprints posted on TechRxiv peer-reviewed?
3. What type of information is posted on TechRxiv?
4. Is there a fee to submit or read a preprint on TechRxiv?
5. What file format should I use?
6. Can I post a preprint in any language?
7. How long does it take from submission to posting on TechRxiv?
8. What happens after I submit my preprint to TechRxiv?
9. Will my preprint receive a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)?
10. I have already submitted my article to a journal. Can I also submit to TechRxiv?
11. Do journals allow authors who have posted preprints to submit to the journal?
12. How do I revise my posted preprint?
13. Can I remove a preprint that is already posted on TechRxiv?
14. Where is TechRxiv content indexed?
15. Is there an open API for TechRxiv?
16. What is TechRxiv's Impact Factor?
17. What benefits does TechRxiv offer?
18. Does TechRxiv allow text data mining? If so, under what terms?
19. What rights do I have under TechRxiv's license options? Do I have to assign my copyright to TechRxiv?

1. What is a preprint?

A preprint is a draft version of an article.

2. Are the preprints posted on TechRxiv peer-reviewed?

No, preprints posted in TechRxiv are not peer-reviewed (e.g., not screened for technical merit, completeness, or novelty) and submissions are not edited or typeset.

3. What type of information is posted on TechRxiv?

TechRxiv encompasses technical research in electrical engineering, computer science, and related areas. Non-technical information such as news, advertisements, or calls for papers will be declined.

4. Is there a fee to submit or read a preprint on TechRxiv?

No, preprints on TechRxiv are free for both authors and readers.

5. What file format should I use?

You can submit your preprint in any file format (maximum individual file size 10 MB) using drag-and-drop or browse functions during submission. TechRxiv will preserve the original file's information and formatting throughout the checking and posting process. Once posted, readers can view the file through the web browser viewing tool or download it in the original format.

To help readers, you should include a PDF version of the preprint alongside the original file(s). If we don't receive a PDF we will try to create one ourselves but it will not be available for you to proof.

6. Can I post a preprint in any language?

TechRxiv only accepts preprints in English.

7. How long does it take from submission to posting on TechRxiv?

Preprints are typically posted within 4 business days of submission.

8. What happens after I submit my preprint to TechRxiv?

All submitted preprints are screened by a moderator who will confirm the appropriateness of inclusion in TechRxiv. It is important to note that the moderator's review is not a technical peer review where content is assessed for accuracy, completeness, or novelty.

9. Will my preprint receive a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)?

Yes, all posted preprints receive a DOI and are fully citable.

10. I have already submitted my article to a journal. Can I also submit to TechRxiv?

Because publishers' posting policies vary, it is your responsibility to check with the specific journal you submitted your article to and confirm if you may post on TechRxiv.

11. Do journals allow authors who have posted preprints to submit to the journal?

Most journals do permit this, but it is your responsibility to check the journal's policy.

12. How do I revise my posted preprint?

You may edit a preprint at any time. To do so, log in to your account, click My Submissions, and click the row containing the submission you want to edit. You may edit your metadata and upload new files; to reorder or delete old files, click the Manage link. Once everything is ready, check Publish Changes at the bottom of the window and then click Save Changes to send the revision to TechRxiv. Your original posted preprint will remain online while a TechRxiv moderator screens your revision. Once the revision is approved, the posted preprint will be updated with the new material. Your original version will remain publicly accessible with a date and time stamp. Revisions will have the same DOI as the original preprint plus a version indicator.

Please note that some journals' policies limit your ability to edit a preprint while the journal is reviewing a submitted article. It is your responsibility to ensure that any revisions comply with the policies of the journal considering your article for publication.

13. Can I remove a preprint that is already posted on TechRxiv?

No. All preprints posted on TechRxiv receive Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), making them part of the citable scientific record and indexable by external services such as CrossRef and Google Scholar. As such, no posted preprint may be removed from TechRxiv. If it is discovered that there are errors in a preprint and the author wishes to withdraw it, the preprint will still appear in TechRxiv but it will be marked as "withdrawn" and annotated with comments explaining the reason for the withdrawal. In an extraordinary situation in which it is deemed necessary to remove access to a preprint (e.g., a fraudulent preprint, a duplicate preprint, or copyright infringement), the original metadata record will be retained but the record will be annotated with a note explaining the reason for removal.

14. Where is TechRxiv content indexed?

TechRxiv preprints are indexable by CrossRef, Google Scholar, and other third-party indexing services.

15. Is there an open API for TechRxiv?

Yes, TechRxiv is Open API compatible. You can review the full documentation or download the Open API Swagger specification.

16. What is TechRxiv's Impact Factor?

TechRxiv is not a journal and therefore, like other preprint services, it is not eligible for an Impact Factor.

17. What benefits does TechRxiv offer?

TechRxiv is an open, moderated preprint server for unpublished research in electrical engineering, computer science, and related technology. By using TechRxiv, authors can quickly disseminate their work to a wide audience and gain community feedback on preliminary timestamped versions of their research.

18. Does TechRxiv allow text data mining? If so, under what terms?

TechRxiv does allow metadata mining and allows all associated files to be downloaded. Interested users should refer to the Open API documentation.

The terms applicable to the mining of preprints are determined by the author's selection of a Creative Commons license (CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-NC-SA, or CC0). Interested parties may limit searches to specific license types to meet their specific reuse needs.

19. What rights do I have under TechRxiv's license options? Do I have to assign my copyright to TechRxiv?

TechRxiv offers several Creative Commons licenses, all of which permit you to retain copyright of your work. You do not need to transfer your copyright to TechRxiv. The use of a Creative Commons license means that you are free to sign a copyright agreement with most journals if you wish to publish your work in a journal. It is your responsibility to ensure that posting in TechRxiv complies with the journal's policies.

During the submission process, you will be asked to select a Creative Commons license for your preprint:

CC BY 4.0 (Attribution only) allows others to copy, reuse, adapt, and build upon your work, including for commercial purposes, as long as the content is attributed to you.

CC BY-SA 4.0 (Attribution-ShareAlike) allows others to copy, reuse, adapt, and build upon your work, including for commercial purposes, as long as the content is attributed to you and the adapted work is distributed under the same license as the original.

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike) allows others to copy, reuse, adapt, and build upon your work for non-commercial purposes, as long as the content is attributed to you and the adapted work is distributed under the same license as the original.

CC0 1.0 (Public Domain Dedication) allows others to copy, reuse, adapt, and build upon your work for any purpose without attribution; all your rights in the work are waived and the work is dedicated to the public domain.

Visit Creative Commons for more detailed information.