Preprints Policy

Pakistan Journal of Nutrition (PJN) supports the rapid dissemination of scientific research through the use of preprints. Preprints are manuscripts made publicly available prior to formal peer review, enabling early sharing of findings, fostering community feedback, and establishing authorship priority. Posting a preprint does not affect eligibility for submission to the PJN.

Copyright and Licensing:
Authors retain full copyright of their work during the preprint stage. PJN recommends posting preprints under non-commercial or “no re-use” licenses to protect authors’ rights. Preprints posted under Creative Commons licenses (CC-BY, CC-NC, or CC-NC-ND) are also accepted for submission to PJN.

Submission of Preprints:
Authors may submit manuscripts that have previously appeared as preprints without disqualification. Preprints should clearly indicate that they have not undergone formal peer review. PJN encourages transparency by requesting authors to disclose any preprint posting at the time of submission.

Updating Preprints:
Authors may upload revised versions of their preprints until the manuscript is formally accepted by PJN. Upon acceptance, the preprint should include a direct link to the final published version, ensuring accurate attribution and discoverability.

Citation Guidelines:
PJN encourages responsible citation of preprints. When citing, authors should clearly label the source as a preprint and include DOI references when available. Example format:

Author, A.B., C.D. Author. Title of the preprint. Preprint Server Name [Preprint]. Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: DOI.

Open Access and Visibility:
Posting preprints enhances research visibility, accelerates knowledge dissemination, and allows the scientific community to provide feedback. PJN supports open-access principles to maximize the reach and impact of authors’ work.