Free tool · Writing & publishing
Reviewer response builder
Turn a block of reviewer comments into a numbered response table you fill in and download.
This builder splits a block of reviewer comments into separately numbered points and gives you a response table to fill in, with one box for your reply and one for the change you made and where. Paste the comments as the journal sent them, write your answers in the boxes, and download the table as a Word file for your response letter. The responses are yours to write.
An editor checking a revision wants to find each comment, your answer and the exact place in the manuscript without hunting. A table does that. Building one by hand for three reviewers and forty comments means an evening of copying and pasting. Here it takes seconds, and the evening goes on the answers instead.
Method
How this tool works
The tool reads your text line by line and applies a few simple rules.
- A line such as “Reviewer 2” or “Referee #1:” starts a new reviewer, and the numbering starts again at 1. If there is no such heading, everything is treated as Reviewer 1.
- A line that begins with a number or a bullet starts a new comment. It recognises 1. and 1) and (1), “Comment 1:”, “Q1.”, and lines starting with -, • or *. Any other line is added to the comment above it, so a comment that runs over several lines stays in one piece.
- If a reviewer’s block has no numbers or bullets at all, each paragraph separated by a blank line becomes one comment.
- Up to 60 comments are handled in one go. If you have more, paste one reviewer at a time.
Each comment then gets two boxes: “Your response” and “Change made, and where (page, line)”. Download as Word gives you a table on wide (sideways) pages with four columns: #, Reviewer comment, Our response and Change made (where). If the journal wants responses typed into a web form, copy the whole thing as plain text instead. All of this happens in your browser. Nothing you paste or type is sent to our server.
Editors and reviewers expect a point-by-point response because it lets them check a revision against the original comments one at a time. The reviewer sees their own words next to your answer and doesn’t have to reread the paper to find what changed. The location column matters most. “We have revised the discussion” sends the reviewer searching, while “p. 14, lines 302–310” lets them confirm the change in a minute. Our guide to responding to reviewer comments covers tone, disagreement and the short note to the editor that goes 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 gets a reply, including ones that only praise the paper (a simple “Thank you” is enough) and ones you decide not to act on. An unanswered comment is the one a reviewer is most likely to raise again in the next round.
What if I disagree with a reviewer?
Say so politely and give your reason: a citation, a result, or a limit of your design or data. Thank the reviewer, explain in two or three sentences, and where it helps, add a line to the limitations section so the point is acknowledged in the paper. The editor makes the final decision, so write with the editor in mind. If you aren’t 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. Quoting the new sentence in your response saves the reviewer from opening the manuscript. For long changes, give the section, page and line numbers and a one-line summary. Check the journal’s instructions too, as some ask for changes to be shown with tracked changes or in a particular colour.
How long should responses be?
As long as the comment needs. A typo needs one line. A request for a new analysis needs a few sentences on what you did and what it showed, plus the location. Long, defensive paragraphs rarely persuade anyone.
Is the table my whole response letter?
Usually not. Most journals expect a short note to the editor first, thanking the reviewers and summarising the main changes in a few lines, with the table after it. Follow the journal’s instructions if it gives a format.
Is my text stored?
No. The comments are split in your browser and nothing you paste or type reaches our server. We record only an anonymous count that the tool was used. Closing the tab clears everything, so download the table before you leave 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
A point-by-point response letter and a revised manuscript that gives the reviewers what they asked for.
Reviewer comment explainer
What a reviewer comment is really asking, how serious it is, and how to prepare your reply.
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