Free tool · Writing & publishing
Reviewer response builder
Turn a block of reviewer comments into a numbered response table you fill in and download.
The reviewer response builder takes the reviewer comments you paste, splits them into numbered points and gives you a response table to fill in. Every point gets two boxes. One box is for your reply. The other box is for the change you made and where. Paste the comments as the journal sent them and type your answers in the boxes. Then download the table as a Word file and put it in your response letter. The tool only arranges the comments. Writing the responses is your work.
When an editor checks a revision, the editor wants to see each comment, your answer and the exact place in the manuscript without searching here and there. A response table gives exactly that. By hand, three reviewers and forty comments eat one full evening of copy and paste. This builder does it in few seconds.
Method
How this tool works
The tool goes through your text line by line. Splitting is done by some simple rules.
- Suppose a line has “Reviewer 2” or “Referee #1:” type of heading. From that line the tool treats it as the next reviewer, and comment numbers again start from 1. If there is no such heading, the whole text is taken as Reviewer 1.
- A line that starts with some number or bullet is counted as the start of a fresh comment. The tool reads 1. and 1) and (1), “Comment 1:”, “Q1.”, and also lines starting with -, • or *. Other lines get joined to the comment above, so a long comment stays as one comment only.
- Sometimes a reviewer’s block has no numbers or bullets at all. Then each paragraph separated by a blank line becomes one comment.
- Up to 60 comments can be handled in one go. For bigger revisions paste reviewer by reviewer.
After splitting, each comment get two boxes, “Your response” and “Change made, and where (page, line)”. When you click Download as Word, you get a table on wide (sideways) pages. It has four columns, named #, Reviewer comment, Our response and Change made (where). Some journals want the responses typed into a web form. For that there is plain text copy. Your pasted comments and typed replies are processed in your browser only, our server never receives them.
Editors and reviewers expect a point-by-point response, because then they can check the revision against the original comments one by one. The reviewer sees their own words next to your answer. The location column is the most important column. If you write “We have revised the discussion”, the reviewer has to go searching. Write “p. 14, lines 302–310” instead and he can open that page and see the change in a minute. Our guide to responding to reviewer comments explains tone, how to disagree, and the short note to the editor that comes on top of the table.
Limits
What this tool can’t do
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to respond to every comment?
Yes, every comment needs a reply. Even a comment that only praises the paper gets a simple “Thank you”. Where you decided not to change anything, reply with your reason. An unanswered comment is the comment a reviewer will most likely raise again in the next round.
What if I disagree with a reviewer?
You are allowed to disagree with a reviewer. Keep the tone polite and write your reason clearly. The reason can be a citation, a result, or some limit of your design or data. First thank the reviewer and then explain in two or three sentences. Some scholars add one line in the limitations section also, so the paper itself admits it. The editor takes the final decision, so write for the editor. If you are not sure what a comment is really asking, the reviewer comment explainer can help you read it.
Should I quote the changed text?
For short changes, yes, quote it. When the new sentence is there in your response, the reviewer need not open the manuscript. For long changes, give the section, page and line numbers with a one-line summary. Also read the journal’s instructions, because some journals ask you to show changes with tracked changes or in a particular colour.
How long should responses be?
Length depends on what the reviewer has asked. For a typo one line like “Corrected” is fine. When the reviewer asks for a new analysis, write a few sentences on what you did and what came out, and give the location also. Half a page of defending yourself mostly convinces nobody.
Is the table my whole response letter?
Usually no. Most journals want a small note to the editor on top. In that note you thank the reviewers and mention the main changes in a few lines, then the table goes below. Some journals have their own response format in the author guidelines, and then that format only is used.
Is my text stored?
No. The comments are split inside your browser itself, and nothing you paste or type is sent to our server. We keep only an anonymous count that the tool was used. Once you close the tab everything is cleared, so download table before leaving the page.
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.
Reviewer comment explainer
What a reviewer comment is really asking, how serious it is, and how to prepare your reply.
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