Transcript responding to reviewer comments

RESPONDING TO REVIEWER
COMMENTS
Irwan Supriyanto
Bagian Ilmu Kedokteran Jiwa
Fakultas Kedokteran UGM
2014
• 4 types of response from your editor
– Accepted without any changes
– Accepted with minor revisions (provisional
acceptance)
– Accepted with major revisions (provisional
rejection)
– Flat rejection
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REJECTION
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• 8 reasons why editor rejected your manuscript
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It fails the technical screening
It does not fall within the Aims and Scope
It’s incomplete
The procedure and/or analysis is seen to be defective
The conclusions cannot be justified on the basis of the
rest of the paper
– It’s simply an extension of different paper
– It’s incomprehensible
– Its boring or unattractive
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ACCEPTED WITH REVISIONS
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• Tips responding to reviewer comments
1. Get mad. Then get over it
2. Consider what the editor decision letter really
says
3. Wait and gather your thoughts
4. Even if the reviewer is wrong, it does not mean
you are right
5. Choose your battle wisely
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6. Do not pit one reviewer against another
7. Be grateful for the reviewers’ and editor’s time
8. Restate the reviewer’s or editor’s comment when
responding
9. Be prepared to cut down your manuscript
10. Do not submit the same version to another
journal
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• What the reviewers usually want
1. Request for clarification of text, addition or
omission of text, or additional details
2. Request to re-analyze, re-express, or re-interpret
existing data
3. Request for additional experiments or further
proof of your concept
4. Request simply you cannot meet
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• Changes and Modifications
– Change and modify where it makes sense
– No requirement to make every suggested change,
but address all comments
– You must have a good reason for rejecting a
suggestion
– Sometimes, it’s worth to let go..
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• Conflicting Reviewer Comments
– Choose the comment that seems more valid (to
the best of your knowledge)
– Note your change to the reviewer’s comment you
chose to accept
– Note the conflict to the other reviewer (and hope
you made the best choice)
– Never confront the two
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• Rejecting Reviewer Comments
– You can reject reviewer comments if you have
strong arguments
– Lay out your arguments and clarify more about
your findings
– Never states that the reviewer is wrong
– There a possibility that you are the cause of this
comments
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