How to Respond to Journal Reviewers?
Peer Review Feedback
Peer review is a vital step in producing trusted academic works for research and publication. However, it can be confusing to know how to proceed after receiving reviewer feedback on your manuscript. Here, we will explore some tips for delivering effective responses and revisions.
Explain your disagreement
There may be instances when you disagree with the reviewer’s feedback – that’s okay! Disagreement should not be avoided, but it is important to remain respectful and convey your thoughts clearly. Refrain from making any personal or emotional responses and support your position with facts to help the reviewers better understand your perspective.
Respond to each comment
Avoid lumping changes together and responding generically; rather, be sure to provide a specific and detailed response to each reviewer comment. For example, if a reviewer requests clarification on the results section, respond with which page number and text lines were revised, rather than simply stating ‘results section updated’.
This format allows reviewers to quickly check for revisions and shows that you took their feedback into consideration. As mentioned, do not simply ignore comments you disagree with, but support your claims with factual content.
It is also important to take responsibility for your manuscript; if areas of writing are unclear or inaccurate, simply apologize and make the necessary revisions. If you receive feedback on a section you feel is already written clearly, consider making a minor revision to the sentence structure; this shows the reviewer they have been heard and helps clarify your manuscript, so it can be understood by a wider audience.
Make the revisions
When drafting a response and editing your manuscript, it is beneficial to make the changes requested by the reviewers as often as possible. There may be instances where you feel the reviewer is requesting unnecessary additional information; even if this is the case, you will be in a stronger position to receive publication if you are cooperative with the reviewers. Approach feedback with an open mind as reviewers are also knowledgeable in the subject area and frequently make valuable contributions to research.
While responding to the comments of the peer reviewers, don’t forget to also make the necessary revisions within your manuscript. To help stay organized and guide the reviewer through your response, utilize line numbers and even different colors or typefaces (remember to explain your system in your introduction).
Further reading:
Baker, W. L., DiDomenico, R. J., & Haines, S. T. (2017). Improving peer review: What authors can do. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 74(4), 2076–2079.
Hasegawa, G. R. (2017). An editor’s perspective on peer review. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 74(4), 2090–2094.