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 comment from a peer reviewer and this tool tells you, in plain words, what the reviewer is asking for, how serious it is for acceptance, and what kind of change it needs. It then lists the steps to prepare your reply, which you write yourself.
Reviewer comments are often short, indirect or written in a second language. “The sample may not be representative” can mean “explain your sampling” or “I doubt your conclusions”. Knowing which one you are dealing with decides whether you need an afternoon or a new analysis.
Method
How this tool works
Your comment is sent to OpenAI’s gpt-4o-mini model with our instructions. They ask it to restate the request plainly, rate it as minor (wording, formatting, a citation), moderate (clarification or a small extra analysis) or major (the design, the data or the main claim is questioned), say what kind of change it needs, and list two to four steps. The instructions forbid inventing facts about your paper and forbid writing any sentence of the reply.
The model must answer in a fixed structure, and our server checks it before you see anything. If the reply is malformed or the text isn’t a reviewer comment, you get a plain message, and a malformed reply doesn’t use up a check. Each visitor has 3 free AI checks a day across our AI tools. The same comment on the same day is answered from the saved result for free. That answer can quote the comment, so it is kept for up to two days, locked with a key made from your text, so only someone who already has the text can read it. Your text itself is never stored.
Work through comments one at a time, starting with the major ones, because they decide the outcome. For each, decide whether you will make the change or disagree politely with evidence, then record exactly where in the revised manuscript the change is. Our guide to responding to reviewer comments shows how to lay out a response letter that editors find easy to check.
Limits
What this tool can’t do
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is my text stored?
No. The comment goes to OpenAI to produce the explanation and isn’t saved on our server. We keep the answer for up to two days so that pasting the same comment again is free. It is locked with a key made from your text, so it can’t be read without the comment itself.
Why only 3 a day?
Each check has a small running cost, and we keep the tools free with no sign-up. The daily limit keeps them available to everyone. Repeats of the same comment on the same day, and failed checks, don’t count.
Is using this allowed by my university?
The tool explains the comment. Your response and your revisions are still written by you, which is what journals and universities expect. Some journals ask authors to declare AI use, so read the author guidelines. Our guide on using AI tools in your PhD covers the usual rules.
Can I disagree with a reviewer?
Yes, if you do it politely and with evidence: a citation, a result or a clear reason. Editors accept reasoned disagreement. What they look for is a response to every comment.
Why does it rate my comment as major?
Comments that question the design, the data or the main claim are treated as major because they can decide acceptance. If you think the rating is wrong, ask your supervisor or co-authors. They know the paper and the field.
Can someone help with the whole response?
Yes. Our reviewer response service helps you plan and check your revisions and response letter, with you writing the final text. 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
A point-by-point response letter and a revised manuscript that gives the reviewers what they asked for.
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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