Responding to Reviewers

When resubmitting your manuscript, you will most likely be required to provide a detailed reply to the reviewers with a list of changes made to the paper. This information may be included in the cover letter or you may be asked to provide it in a separate document.  Be sure to consult the journal’s author instructions to determine how the response should be formatted and whether other information should be included.

When you resubmit, you may not know in advance whether the editor will personally review your revision or send the paper back to the previous reviewer(s). A detailed and well-organized response to reviewers will save you time in additional rounds of review.

Although you may not agree with all of the critiques you received, it is important to remember that most reviewers contribute on a voluntary basis so it is important that the tone of your cover letter is professional and respectful.