2020 EurekAlert! PIO Seminar
Preprints: New Questions, Pressures and Opportunities for the PIO

The rise of online preprint servers for scientific and medical research has offered scientists a convenient avenue for receiving immediate feedback from their peers. The availability of pre-peer-reviewed data in the public domain also offers opportunities for experienced journalists to mine for scoops while raising questions for scientists and public information officers (PIOs) on whether and how to communicate preliminary findings responsibly.

 

Join an international panel of PIOs as they share perspectives and strategies around preprints, and how PIOs can respond to this emerging practice, including:

 
  • What benefits can be gained from communicating science at the preprint stage? Is it different by discipline?
  • What role does the embargo play as preprints become more widespread?
  • How does coverage at the preprint stage influence coverage of final peer-reviewed results?
  • If preprint results promoted to journalists are later found to be different from peer-reviewed results, what are best practices for correcting public understanding?
  • How can PIOs best advise authors who seek to promote their work at the preprint stage?

Speakers:

Bethany Baker | @PLOS

Senior Media Relations Manager
PLOS

Bio

  • Karl Bates | @DukeResearch

    Director of Research Communications at
    Duke University

    Bio
  • Linda Glaser | @LindaGlaser1

    News & Media Relations Manager, College of Arts & Sciences
    Cornell University

    Bio
  • Mathias Jäger | @mat_jaeger

    Press Officer
    EMBL

    Bio
  • Meagan Phelan | @MeaganPhelan

    Executive Director, Science Press Package
    AAAS (Moderator)

    Bio
  • Jennifer Holshue | @EurekAlert

    Deputy Director, Editorial Operations
    EurekAlert!

    Bio