%0 Journal Article %A Patrick D. Schloss %T Preprinting Microbiology %D 2017 %R 10.1101/110858 %J bioRxiv %P 110858 %X The field of microbiology has experienced significant growth due to transformative advances in technology and the influx of scientists driven by a curiosity to understand how microbes interact with each other and their environment to sustain myriad biochemical processes that are essential for maintaining the Earth. With this explosion in scientific output, a significant bottleneck has been the ability to disseminate this new knowledge to peers and the public in a timely manner. Preprints have emerged as a tool that a growing number of microbiologists are using to overcome this bottleneck. Furthermore, posting preprints can help to transparently recruit a more diverse pool of reviewers prior to submitting to a traditional journal. Although use of preprints is still limited in the biological sciences, early indications are that preprints are a robust tool that can complement and enhance peer-reviewed publications. As publishing moves to embrace advances in internet technology, there are many opportunities for preprints and peer-reviewed journals to coexist in the same ecosystem. %U https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/03/15/110858.full.pdf