Students’ Perceptions of Preprints Discovered in Google: A Window into Recognition And Evaluation

Abstract

Preprints play an important role in scholarly conversation. This paper examines perceptions of preprints through the lens of students using a simulated Google environment. Data were collected from 116 high school, community college, undergraduate, and graduate students with attention toward the helpfulness, credibility, and identification of preprints. Findings show preprint and peer-reviewed cues play little to no role in judging helpfulness or citability, but peer-review does when judging credibility. Further, most students did not recognize these resources as preprints. Implications and recommendations are discussed surrounding awareness and use of these openly available sources of scientific information.