Researcher Q&A

Responding to Peer Reviewers

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Q: Do we have to cite the reviewer-suggested article?

Detailed question-We submitted an article to a journal. After two months, we received the reviewers’ comments to revise the article. One of the reviewers asked us to add two references in…
  • Asked on August 13, 2020

1 Answer

This is a fairly common occurrence. It’s called coercive citation, with the implications your…

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Q: Can I revise some parts of a manuscript even if they have not been requested by the reviewer?

Detailed question-I am presently revising my manuscript as per peer review comments. During the first submission, a major revision was required. So, I added figures and tables and…
  • Asked on August 11, 2020

1 Answer

One part of your query is not clear. It’s not clear what the reviewer has asked you to remove in the second round: some…

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Q: How do I write a summary letter?

Detailed question-What is the perfect method of writing point-by-point answers to comments by reviewers?
  • Asked on July 25, 2020

1 Answer

Firstly, it’s great to know that you are at the revisions stage, which means that your manuscript is one step closer to publication. :-) Also, going by your…

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Q: Is there any higher organization to make a complaint for a malicious peer review?

Detailed question-If I encounter a malicious peer review, can I make a complaint to any higher organization?
  • Asked on July 17, 2020

1 Answer

Your question is so pithy and pointed, we shall also get to the response straight away.

Unfortunately, no, there isn't any higher organization in research…

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Q: How do I best respond to positive feedback from reviewers?

Detailed question-I have received feedback from peer reviewers on an article submitted, but some of the comments are positive! A number of the comments agree with points made in the…

1 Answer

Hello Annie – Welcome to the forum! And this time, we respond with a bit more seriousness. :-)

Straight away, what a great position to be in! I don’t think…

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Q: Are there any tips on how to respond to positive feedback from peer reviewers?

Detailed question-I have received feedback from peer review, and amongst the feedback, are statements where the reviewers have agreed with points we have made or commended the argument. I…
  • Asked on July 15, 2020

1 Answer

LOL! You seem to have the opposite ‘problem’ of that faced by most authors. :-) Which is why, although you seem to have posted the same query twice, and we…

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Q: How should I reply to a reviewer comment stating that the sample size is small?

Detailed question-The reviewer asked why the sample size is small or why I did not include some other samples, which is quite true, in fact. How should I reply to these questions in a…
  • Asked on July 13, 2020

1 Answer

It’s interesting that you too sense that the sample size is too small. So, the reviewer’s comments do seem valid. In that case, here are the possible ways in which…

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Q: Can you help me understand this comment on my review article that received a minor revision?

Detailed question-My review article received a minor revision with one of the comments as follows: “The advantages, disadvantages, and synergy of each strategy need to be compared with [a…

1 Answer

This seems to be a systematic review. However, it’s not clear if it’s a qualitative review or a…

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Q: How should I reply to a reviewer who says that I did not address his comments from the first round of review although I did so?

Detailed question-I received an email from the editor stating: “Please pay attention to the comments of the first reviewer. The reviewer said that you totally ignored his comments and did…

1 Answer

There are two aspects to your query. One, there seems to be some miscommunication,…

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Q: Can I withdraw my paper if I feel distrustful of the review?

Detailed question-I submitted my paper to an open access (OA) journal, and it was evaluated as a major revision. However, I feel a bit distrustful of the review as there was some flaw in…
  • Asked on March 8, 2020

1 Answer

It is great that you are closely examining your review comments, instead of blindly accepting them. However, without…

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