Preprints, versions, and what you are actually citing

1 · Learn the move · Comparison matrix

A preprint and its published version are different documents with different DOIs, and the differences are not cosmetic: numbers move between versions, claims soften under review, figures get replaced, and occasionally the published paper no longer contains the sentence you are citing. Version is therefore part of the citation, and part of its verification state - VERIFIED means verified against the version cited. The comparison matrix makes the drift visible: one row per claim you rely on, one column per version, a changed-or-unchanged call per cell. You cite the version you actually read, you say which one it was, and if a published version exists, you check whether your claim survived the journey before pointing at either.

I cite [preprint citation + version] for these claims: [list]. The published version is [citation]. Build a comparison matrix: rows = my claims, columns = preprint version / published version, cells = what each version says, from the passages I paste. Flag every cell where the claim changed, and tell me which version my citation must point at for each claim. Passages: [paste both versions' relevant sections].