Why Preprints and Working Papers Are Increasingly Common in Malaysian Research
The academic publishing landscape has changed significantly in recent years, and Malaysian postgraduate researchers are encountering preprints and working papers as sources more frequently than in earlier decades. Preprints are manuscript versions of research papers that have been posted to an online server — such as arXiv, SSRN, PsyArXiv, or OSF Preprints — before formal peer review and journal publication. Working papers are preliminary research documents circulated for comment, typically through university research centres or think tanks. Both types of source carry distinct citation requirements that differ from standard journal article citations in APA 7th.
Understanding how to cite preprints and working papers in APA correctly matters for two reasons. First, it ensures your reference list is technically accurate and that readers can locate the sources you used. Second, it demonstrates that you understand the different epistemic status of preprints relative to peer-reviewed publications — an awareness that sophisticated examiners will look for if they notice preprint sources in your reference list.
The APA 7th Format for Preprints
Preprints are cited in APA 7th using the same general format as journal articles, with an important modification: the preprint server is listed instead of a journal name, and a descriptor identifying the source as a preprint is included. The format is: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of paper. Name of Preprint Server. DOI or URL
Example: Rashid, M. A., & Lim, S. H. (2024). Peer support and doctoral completion in Malaysian research universities. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/xxxxx
Note that the preprint server name — PsyArXiv, SSRN, arXiv, bioRxiv, or others — takes the place of the journal name. The title of the preprint is italicised, just as a journal article title would not normally be — but for preprints, the title is treated more like a report title, hence the italics. The DOI of the preprint, assigned by the server, is included where available.
In-text citations for preprints follow the same format as for journal articles: (Rashid & Lim, 2024). The fact that the source is a preprint does not change the in-text citation format — that information is in the reference list entry.
Citing a Preprint That Has Since Been Published
A preprint that was later published in a peer-reviewed journal is a common situation that requires careful handling. If you accessed and used the preprint version before the journal publication appeared, you should cite the preprint as you accessed it — but you should check whether the published version is now available and whether there are substantive differences between the preprint and the published version that affect the claims you are making.
If the published journal version exists and is accessible, it is generally preferable to cite the published version, since it has undergone peer review and is the version of record. In your reference list, update the citation to the journal article format. If you cited the preprint in earlier chapters before the published version appeared, update all in-text citations to reference the published version and ensure your reference list reflects this change. Citing a preprint when a published version is available, without noting this, can give the impression that you were unaware of the publication or were deliberately using the less peer-reviewed source.
The APA 7th Format for Working Papers
Working papers are cited in APA 7th using the report format, since they are typically produced by institutions rather than posted to academic preprint servers. The format is: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of working paper (Working Paper No. XXX). Institution. DOI or URL
Example: Ahmad, N. F. (2023). Graduate labour market outcomes and postgraduate investment in Malaysia (Working Paper No. WP-2023-04). Institute of Labour Market Information and Analysis. https://www.ilmia.gov.my/…
The working paper number, if one is assigned, is included in parentheses after the title but before the full stop. The issuing institution serves as the publisher. If the working paper is part of a named series — “NBER Working Paper”, “IZA Discussion Paper”, “World Bank Policy Research Working Paper” — the series name takes the place of the institution where relevant to the specific format used by that series.
Acknowledging the Epistemic Status of Preprints in Your Text
When you cite a preprint in your thesis text, it is good practice to acknowledge that the source has not yet undergone peer review — particularly if you are relying on it for a substantive evidential claim rather than just using it for background context. A brief acknowledgement in your prose — “in a preprint that has not yet undergone peer review, Rashid and Lim (2024) report preliminary evidence that…” — is honest and transparent. It signals to your examiner that you understand the different epistemic weight of a preprint relative to a published peer-reviewed paper, which is a mark of sophisticated scholarly judgment.
This acknowledgement is especially important for doctoral theses where the scrutiny of sources is more intense than at master’s level. An examiner who notices a preprint in your reference list may well ask about it in the viva — being prepared to explain why you used a preprint source, whether a published version now exists, and what the limitations of a pre-peer-review source mean for the claims you based on it demonstrates exactly the kind of critical source evaluation that doctoral-level research requires. Knowing how to cite preprints and working papers in APA correctly, and treating them with appropriate scholarly caution, positions your reference list as both technically accurate and epistemologically honest.
