How to Respond to Reviewer Comments: A Practical System That Works
A practical system for responding to reviewer comments without sounding defensive, skipping key points, or making the editor work harder than necessary.
Associate Professor, Clinical Medicine & Public Health
Author context
Specializes in clinical and epidemiological research publishing, with direct experience preparing manuscripts for NEJM, JAMA, BMJ, and The Lancet.
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How to use this page well
These pages work best when they behave like tools, not essays. Use the quick structure first, then apply it to the exact journal and manuscript situation.
Question | What to do |
|---|---|
Use this page for | Building a point-by-point response that is easy for reviewers and editors to trust. |
Start with | State the reviewer concern clearly, then pair each response with the exact evidence or revision. |
Common mistake | Sounding defensive or abstract instead of specific about what changed. |
Best next step | Turn the response into a visible checklist or matrix before you finalize the letter. |
Quick answer: The response letter is not administrative cleanup. It is the editor's fastest way to judge whether the revision is disciplined, complete, and easy to trust.
The best way to respond to reviewer comments is simple:
- answer every comment
- make each response easy to verify
- stay calm even when you disagree
- distinguish between comments you should satisfy and comments you should reframe
- use the response letter to show judgment, not frustration
Most weak revisions fail for one of three reasons:
- the authors skipped or buried important comments
- the tone became defensive
- the response letter made the editor work too hard to see what changed
That is the real problem to solve.
What the response letter is actually doing
Editors and reviewers do not read the response letter as a courtesy. They read it as a decision tool.
Before they trust the revised manuscript, they want to know:
- did the authors understand the comments
- did they fix the important issues
- do they know when to concede and when to defend
- are they hiding anything
- does the revision look easier or harder to evaluate now
That means a good response letter does more than answer comments. It lowers the editor's uncertainty.
The response format that works
Use the same response architecture for every reviewer comment:
- quote the comment accurately
- state what you did
- point to the change
- show the revised language when useful
That basic structure works because it reduces ambiguity. The editor should never have to guess whether you changed the manuscript, only clarified your reasoning, or declined the request.
What we see in pre-submission review work
In our pre-submission review work, the response letters that most often stall a revision are not usually hostile. They are simply too hard to verify.
The repeated patterns are:
- authors say they addressed a point without showing what changed
- the real editorial risk is buried under polished answers to easier comments
- the response letter and revised manuscript do not line up cleanly enough for an editor to trust the revision at speed
That is why the best response system is not just polite. It is traceable.
A practical response table
Reviewer situation | Best move | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
The reviewer is right and the fix is easy | Make the change and show exactly where | Writing a long explanation for a simple fix |
The reviewer misunderstood something | Clarify the manuscript, not just the response letter | Saying the reviewer misread the paper |
The reviewer asks for a large new experiment | Decide whether it is necessary, then justify the choice clearly | Vague promises about future work |
Two reviewers disagree | Solve the underlying concern and explain the compromise | Acting as if one reviewer can simply be ignored |
You disagree with the comment | Acknowledge the concern, explain the reasoning, offer a narrower fix if possible | Directly arguing with the reviewer |
Rule 1: Respond to every comment
Every comment gets a response.
That includes:
- major scientific objections
- requests for citations
- requests for clarification
- small wording corrections
- comments you think are trivial
If a reviewer wrote it, the editor expects to see it answered. Missing responses create distrust fast.
Rule 2: Make verification easy
The fastest way to weaken a revision is to force the editor to hunt.
Weak response:
We revised the Methods accordingly.
Strong response:
We revised the Methods to specify the exclusion criteria and missing-data handling procedure. The new text appears on page 9, lines 241 to 253.
For important changes, quote the new text directly. For smaller ones, page and line numbers are enough. The principle is the same: make it obvious that the change exists.
Rule 3: Do not sound defensive
Many authors damage good revisions by answering the emotional version of the review instead of the scientific one.
A defensive response usually sounds like this:
- the reviewer misunderstood
- the comment is unfair
- we already explained this clearly
- the request is outside the scope
Even when the substance is reasonable, the tone creates friction.
A stronger response usually does three things:
- acknowledges the concern as reasonable
- states what was changed or why a different choice was made
- keeps the editor's attention on the scientific issue rather than the disagreement
Rule 4: Know when to push back
You do not have to do everything reviewers ask.
You should consider pushing back when:
- the reviewer misunderstood the current paper and the fix is clearer framing, not new work
- the request would change the paper into a different study
- the experiment is genuinely infeasible in the revision window
- the comment conflicts with the paper's core logic or scope
You should usually just do it when:
- the request is reasonable and strengthens the paper
- multiple reviewers are pushing on the same weakness
- the editor clearly endorsed the request
- the cost of resisting is higher than the cost of fixing
The key is that pushback should still resolve the underlying concern. "We disagree" is rarely enough.
A template for difficult comments
When you need to disagree or decline a request, this structure usually works:
- acknowledge the concern
- explain why the requested action is not the best revision move
- address the concern in a narrower or different way
- show the manuscript change, if any
Example:
We appreciate this suggestion and agree that generalizability is an important concern. Adding the full requested experiment would require a separate cohort and would materially expand the study beyond the current manuscript. To address the underlying issue, we have added a new limitation paragraph in the Discussion and clarified the boundary of the claim in the Abstract and Results.
That kind of response shows judgment instead of refusal.
Clarify this point
This usually means the manuscript was not as clear as the authors thought. Fix the paper, not just the response letter.
Add experiment X
Decide whether the experiment is essential, strategic, or unnecessary. If you cannot do it, explain why and show how you addressed the concern another way.
The statistics are not convincing
Treat this as serious until proven otherwise. Recheck the analysis, consult a statistician if needed, and explain the reasoning with specifics.
Readiness check
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See score, top issues, and what to fix before you submit.
Cite this paper
If the citation is relevant, add it. If not, explain briefly why it does not materially affect the framing or interpretation.
This has been done before
That is usually a novelty-framing problem. You need to identify exactly what the paper adds, not merely repeat that it is different.
Tone down the claims
Usually worth doing. If the data do not fully support the strongest version of the statement, revising the claim is often better than trying to defend the overreach.
What to do when reviewers contradict each other
Conflicting comments are common. The response should not pretend the conflict does not exist.
Instead:
- identify the real conflict
- decide what best serves the paper
- explain the compromise or priority choice clearly
A good response often says, in effect, "we recognized the tension between depth and focus, so we moved the extended analysis to the supplement while keeping the main narrative tighter."
That tells the editor you are managing the paper rather than reacting comment by comment.
What the revision cover letter should do
The revision cover letter is not the same as the response letter.
Keep it short. It should:
- thank the editor for the chance to revise
- summarize the major changes in one paragraph
- note any major request you could not fully satisfy
- state that detailed point-by-point responses are attached
The cover letter should orient. The response letter should prove.
A final pre-submit checklist
Before resubmitting, confirm:
- every reviewer comment has a direct response
- every important change has a location reference
- the revised manuscript actually matches the response letter
- page and line numbers are correct in the final file
- the tone is professional throughout
- one co-author has reviewed the response letter only for clarity and tone
This last step matters. A co-author often catches defensiveness faster in the response letter than in the manuscript.
What a strong response letter usually feels like
A strong response letter feels calm, legible, and complete.
It does not:
- overargue easy points
- apologize excessively
- bury the real fixes
- make promises the revision does not deliver
It feels like the work of authors who took the review seriously and improved the paper accordingly.
When to Follow Each Strategy
Situation | Best approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
Minor revision, all points addressable | Address every point, accept all changes | ~95% acceptance rate for minor revisions |
Major revision, most points addressable | Address all points thoroughly, push back on 1-2 with evidence | ~60-80% acceptance rate depends on response quality |
Hostile reviewer but valid points underneath | Extract the science, ignore the tone, respond professionally | Editors notice when reviewers are inappropriate |
Contradictory reviewer demands | Find a compromise (often supplementary materials), explain to editor | Editors expect you to navigate this |
Reject and resubmit | Only resubmit if you can address fundamental concerns | ~20-30% acceptance rate on resubmission |
Scope mismatch cited as reason | Move to a different journal rather than fighting the fit | Resubmitting won't change the scope judgment |
Bottom line
If you want to respond to reviewer comments well, stop thinking of the response letter as a box-checking document. It is the editor's first revision read, and often the fastest signal of whether the paper is moving toward acceptance or toward another round of friction.
The best response letters do three things consistently:
- they answer everything
- they make verification easy
- they sound disciplined even when the authors disagree
That is usually the difference between a revision that moves forward and one that stalls.
Before submitting, a manuscript readiness and journal-fit check can flag fit and readiness issues.
If you are building a response letter now, pair this guide with the rebuttal letter template for major revision, respond-to-reviewers examples by scenario, and the submission readiness checklist. If you want an expert read before you resubmit, Manusights Expert Review is the best next step.
Frequently asked questions
Quote each reviewer comment verbatim, state your action (what you changed), and reference the specific manuscript location. Open with brief thanks to editor and reviewers, label each reviewer section clearly (Reviewer 1, Reviewer 2), number your responses to match their comments, and close with a summary of improvements.
Professional and collaborative, never defensive. Even when reviewers are wrong, rephrase as 'We have clarified this point' rather than 'The reviewer misunderstood.' Editors read both the review and your response. They can tell who misunderstood whom, your professionalism strengthens your position.
Most journals give 60-90 days for major revisions, 14-21 days for minor revisions. Extensions are usually available if you ask before the deadline. About 60-80% of major revisions are eventually accepted, compared to 95%+ for minor revisions.
Yes, every single one. Even comments you disagree with need a substantive response explaining your reasoning. Ignoring or dismissing comments is the most common reason second-round reviews go badly. Address every point, even if the response is 'We respectfully disagree because...' with evidence.
Find a compromise that addresses both underlying concerns. A common solution is moving disputed content to supplementary materials, preserving detail for the reviewer who wants more while maintaining focus for the reviewer who wants less. State the compromise explicitly in your response and defer to the editor's judgment.
Sources
- 1. COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.
- 2. How to respond to reviewers' comments, Elsevier Researcher Academy.
- 3. General and ethical guidelines for peer review, Wiley Author Services.
Reference library
Use the core publishing datasets alongside this guide
This article answers one part of the publishing decision. The reference library covers the recurring questions that usually come next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how journals compare, and what the submission requirements look like across journals.
Checklist system / operational asset
Elite Submission Checklist
A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.
Flagship report / decision support
Desk Rejection Report
A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.
Dataset / reference hub
Journal Intelligence Dataset
A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
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