Almost all research articles published in biomedical journals are revised before publication in response to comments from the peer reviewers and the journal’s editor. When authors are asked to revise a manuscript, they are usually asked to submit not only the revised manuscript but also a cover letter and a detailed response.
- Address every reviewer comment. If several reviewers have raised essentially the same concern, you may address all of their related comments with a single comment.
- Make it easy for the journal editor to see that every reviewer comment has been addressed and to understand how the manuscript has been changed. Suggestions for clear organization and formatting appear below.
- Accurately represent the reviewers’ and editor’s comments. When you quote a reviewer or editor comment, it should be clear that you are quoting, and the quotation should be accurate. Use ellipses to condense comments or paraphrase comments instead of quoting them directly.
- Whenever you have changed the manuscript in response to a comment, indicate that fact, summarize the change (e.g., “we have addressed this issue in more detail in the Discussion section”), and indicate where the change appears in the revised manuscript [e.g., “(page 12, lines 2-6)”].
- If you choose not to make a suggested change, politely and clearly explain why.
- Make the response as streamlined as possible. It is better to briefly summarize the changes that have been made in the manuscript than to quote those changes verbatim (unless the journal editor instructs otherwise).
