Responding to Referee Reports
These standard tips will help you respond effectively to a referee report.
- Read referee reports carefully and dispassionately and approach them with an open mind.
- Study the decision letter carefully: It describes the editor’s disposition towards your paper.
- Revisit your manuscript’s presentation and how it could be improved. Consider asking a less involved colleague to check if the manuscript reads well and makes its case clearly.
- Respond to reports point-by-point, including points you disagree with or where you do not want to make a suggested change. Address all parts of the reports.
- Be careful to always use respectful, collegial language in your communications, and assume good intentions, especially when responding to critical points.
- Formulate your response in gender-neutral terms. If unavoidable, please use the singular “they/them/theirs” in place of gender-specific pronouns. (See also Editorial: Promoting Inclusive and Respectful Communications.)
- List and explain changes to the manuscript. Provide a marked manuscript with changes highlighted to help editors and referees identify what has changed.
- Seek clarification from the journal if you are unsure what the editor or referee is asking of you.
