Free tool · Writing & publishing
Reviewer comment explainer
What a reviewer comment is really asking, how serious it is, and how to prepare your reply.
Paste one peer reviewer comment and this tool explains in plain words what the reviewer wants and how serious the comment is. It also tells what type of change the comment is asking for. After that you get the steps to prepare your reply. The reply itself you have to write.
Many times reviewer comments are very short or indirect. Some reviewers write in their second language also. Take “The sample may not be representative”. It can mean “explain your sampling”, or it can mean “I doubt your conclusions”. You have to know which one it is, because the first may need one afternoon and the second may need a new analysis.
Method
How this tool works
Your comment goes to OpenAI’s gpt-4o-mini model along with our instructions. The model first restates the request in simple language. Then it gives a rating. A comment about wording, formatting or a citation is rated minor. A request to clarify something or run one small extra analysis gets called moderate. When the design, the data or the main claim is being questioned, it is rated major. At the end the model says which kind of change is needed and lists two to four steps. Our instructions do not allow it to invent facts about your paper or write any sentence of your reply.
The model has to answer in a fixed structure. Our server checks it before you see anything. If the reply is malformed or the text is not a reviewer comment, you get a plain message, and a malformed reply does not use up a check. Every visitor gets 3 free AI checks a day, counted across all our AI tools. The same comment pasted again on the same day gets the saved result free. That saved answer can quote your comment, so we keep it for up to two days only. It opens only with a key made from your own text, so without that text nobody gets in. Your text itself is never stored.
Take up the comments one by one. Sit with the major ones first. What happens to your paper depends mainly on them. For every comment, first decide if you will do the change or disagree politely with evidence. Then note down the exact place in revised manuscript where you made the change. Editors check a response letter faster when it is laid out properly, and our guide to responding to reviewer comments shows that layout.
Limits
What this tool can’t do
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is my text stored?
No. The comment is sent to OpenAI only for making the explanation, and our server does not save it. The answer we do keep, for up to two days, so that pasting the same comment again costs you nothing. Our key for it is made out of your text. If someone is not having the comment, they can’t read it.
Why only 3 a day?
Every check has a small running cost. We are keeping the tools free and there is no sign-up. Because of the daily limit every visitor gets a turn. A failed check is not counted. Same comment pasted again on the same day is also not counted.
Is using this allowed by my university?
The tool only explains what the comment means. Your response and your revisions you still write yourself, and that is what journals and universities are expecting. A few journals want a declaration of AI use from the authors, and your journal’s author guidelines will say so. For the usual rules see our guide on using AI tools in your PhD.
Can I disagree with a reviewer?
Yes, you can. Be polite and quote a paper or your own result for support. Editors usually go along if they see reasoning. Mainly they check whether every comment have a reply.
Why does it rate my comment as major?
When a comment questions the design, the data or the main claim, the tool treats it as major. That kind of comment can decide acceptance itself. If the rating looks wrong to you, discuss about it with your supervisor or co-authors, because they know the paper and the field.
Can someone help with the whole response?
Yes. Our reviewer response service helps you plan and check the revisions and the response letter. The final text is written by you only. The first consultation is free.
Evidence
Sources
Keep reading
Related guides and services
How to respond to reviewer comments
Point-by-point structure, tone, disagreeing politely, and a response-letter template.
Responding to Reviewer Comments
What each reviewer is really asking, and feedback on your response letter before you send it.
Why papers get desk rejected
The reasons editors reject without review, and a checklist that catches most of them before you submit.
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