Responding to Reviewer's Comments

Office of Clinical ResearchOffice of Clinical Research

Responding to Reviewer Responding to Reviewer CommentsComments

Presented by:Presented by:Anne Marie Weber-Main, PhD, Dept of Family Medicine & Comm HealthAnne Marie Weber-Main, PhD, Dept of Family Medicine & Comm HealthMichelle van Ryn, PhD, Dept of Family Medicine & Comm HealthMichelle van Ryn, PhD, Dept of Family Medicine & Comm HealthMichael Murtaugh, PhD, College of Veterinary MedicineMichael Murtaugh, PhD, College of Veterinary MedicineJim Beattie, MLIS, Bio-Medical LibraryJim Beattie, MLIS, Bio-Medical LibraryMichael Franklin, MSc, Department of MedicineMichael Franklin, MSc, Department of Medicine

May 4, 2007May 4, 2007

Office of Clinical Research

Disclosure InformationDisclosure InformationMay 4, 2007May 4, 2007

Anne Marie Weber-Main, PhDAnne Marie Weber-Main, PhDMichelle van Ryn, PhDMichelle van Ryn, PhDMichael Murtaugh, PhDMichael Murtaugh, PhD

Jim Beattie, MLISJim Beattie, MLISMichael Franklin, MScMichael Franklin, MSc

• We will not discuss off label use and/or We will not discuss off label use and/or investigational use in our presentation.investigational use in our presentation.

• We have no financial relationships to We have no financial relationships to disclose.disclose.


AgendaAgenda

• Review outcomes, coping with Review outcomes, coping with rejectionrejection– Overview, talking pointsOverview, talking points– Panel comments, Q & APanel comments, Q & A

• Tips for revision and responseTips for revision and response– Overview, talking pointsOverview, talking points– Panel comments, Q & APanel comments, Q & A


What Reviewers Provide What Reviewers Provide • Publishing recommendation Publishing recommendation • Quality ranking Quality ranking

superior, good, fair, poorsuperior, good, fair, poor• Priority rankingPriority ranking

high, intermediate, lowhigh, intermediate, low• Remarks to the editor Remarks to the editor • Remarks to the authorRemarks to the author


UnderstandingUnderstandingthe Verdictthe Verdict

• Rejection, no invitation to resubmitRejection, no invitation to resubmit– No peer review (triaged)No peer review (triaged)– Negative peer review Negative peer review

• Rejection “in its present form”Rejection “in its present form”– Revise, resubmit, re-review, reconsiderRevise, resubmit, re-review, reconsider

• Provisional “acceptance” Provisional “acceptance” • Final acceptanceFinal acceptance


Reasons for Outright RejectionReasons for Outright Rejection

• Mismatch with journalMismatch with journal– No clinical implicationsNo clinical implications– Results of narrow Results of narrow

interest, too specializedinterest, too specialized

• Unimportant, unoriginal topicUnimportant, unoriginal topic• Poor study design and methodsPoor study design and methods• Findings misinterpreted, inflatedFindings misinterpreted, inflated


Surviving RejectionSurviving Rejection

Don’tDon’t• DespairDespair• Malign the editorMalign the editor• Let the manuscript Let the manuscript

collect dustcollect dust• Disregard the Disregard the

critiquecritique


Surviving RejectionSurviving Rejection

Don’tDon’t• DespairDespair• Malign the editorMalign the editor• Let the manuscript Let the manuscript

collect dustcollect dust• Disregard the Disregard the

critiquecritique

DoDo• Be persistentBe persistent• Use the critiquesUse the critiques• Identify a new Identify a new

target journaltarget journal• Resubmit a better Resubmit a better

manuscriptmanuscript


Remember:Remember:““Reviewers’ comments are meant to Reviewers’ comments are meant to

enhance the quality and impact of enhance the quality and impact of your work. Almost every written work, your work. Almost every written work, no matter who the author is, can be no matter who the author is, can be enhanced through better enhanced through better argumentation, better analyses, and argumentation, better analyses, and better discussion of its findings.”better discussion of its findings.”

12 Points to Consider in Responding to Thesis Advisers’ and 12 Points to Consider in Responding to Thesis Advisers’ and Reviewers’ Comments. Reviewers’ Comments. Developed by Michel Avital, Richard J. Developed by Michel Avital, Richard J. Boland, Jr., Jagdip Singh, and the faculty of Weatherhead School Boland, Jr., Jagdip Singh, and the faculty of Weatherhead School of Management in Case Western Reserve University. of Management in Case Western Reserve University. http://avital.case.edu/edocs/response.html

http://avital.case.edu/edocs/response.html


• Words of wisdom from our panelWords of wisdom from our panel

• Q & AQ & A


Verdict: Revise and ResubmitVerdict: Revise and Resubmit

Now what?


Verdict: Revise and ResubmitVerdict: Revise and Resubmit

1.1. Carefully read, then re-read the comments. Carefully read, then re-read the comments.

2.2. Make a revision plan.Make a revision plan.

3.3. Revise the manuscript.Revise the manuscript.

4.4. Draft the response letter.Draft the response letter.

5.5. Revise the response letter.Revise the response letter.

6.6. Cross-check response letter with manuscript.Cross-check response letter with manuscript.


The Response LetterThe Response LetterDear Dr. Tenure, Dear Dr. Tenure,

We are pleased to resubmit to you our We are pleased to resubmit to you our manuscript entitled, “_____________,” manuscript entitled, “_____________,” MS #____________. We found the reviewers’ MS #____________. We found the reviewers’ critique of our initial submission to be very critique of our initial submission to be very helpful. In responding to their comments, we helpful. In responding to their comments, we believe our manuscript is greatly believe our manuscript is greatly strengthened. Our point-by-point responses to strengthened. Our point-by-point responses to the critique are outlined below.the critique are outlined below.


Responsive LanguageResponsive Language

““We revisedWe revised paragraph 2 of paragraph 2 of the introduction to include the introduction to include additional literature on…”additional literature on…”



““As suggested,As suggested, we deleted we deleted Figure 1 and combined Figure 1 and combined Tables 3 and 4.” Tables 3 and 4.”



““As recommended, we As recommended, we reanalyzedreanalyzed our validity data our validity data using t-test rather than using t-test rather than ANOVA procedures.”ANOVA procedures.”


Explanatory LanguageExplanatory Language

““Unfortunately, we did not Unfortunately, we did not collect data on variable X, so collect data on variable X, so we are unable to assess its we are unable to assess its interaction effect. We interaction effect. We acknowledge this as a acknowledge this as a limitation on page 22.” limitation on page 22.”


Explanatory LanguageExplanatory Language

““Our decision to use the EPDS Our decision to use the EPDS rather than the CES-D as our rather than the CES-D as our depression screening tool was depression screening tool was informed by several factors.…We informed by several factors.…We have added this rationale to our have added this rationale to our methods section on page 4.”methods section on page 4.”


Respectful DisagreementRespectful Disagreement

““We disagree that this program does not We disagree that this program does not have direct implications for clinicians. have direct implications for clinicians. The literature supports our The literature supports our assertion.... Moreover, the two key assertion.... Moreover, the two key elements of this program (instruction, elements of this program (instruction, linkage to social services) are very linkage to social services) are very much within the repertoire of primary much within the repertoire of primary care physicians.” care physicians.”


Respectful DisagreementRespectful Disagreement

““We have added citations to support our We have added citations to support our position. We have also rewritten position. We have also rewritten several sentences in the discussion several sentences in the discussion to tone down our enthusiasm and to tone down our enthusiasm and avoid overstatement.”avoid overstatement.”


• Words of wisdom from our panelWords of wisdom from our panel

• Q & AQ & A

Health & Medicine

Responding to Reviewer's Comments