Read, relax, contemplate, wait a day or two before responding, and get author feedback. Always express gratitude to the editor and reviewers. Reviewers ask questions in order for the replies to assist enhance the paper. Changes to the manuscript must also be made by the authors. The importance of the desired papers in relation to the actual material cannot be overemphasized. Authors should ensure that they comply with journal policies on revisions and forward transfers.
The basic form of correspondence to an editor is a letter. However, emails are becoming more common as well. Letters remain important because they can provide clarity regarding an article's publication status, allow editors to explain their decisions, and solicit further comments from authors. Email is useful when doing so would not cause delay or expense. Always refer to the editor by name and indicate which article you are writing about. Editors prefer if you do not address your letter to "Editor" generically, but rather specify the individual's first and last name. If you have not received a reply after a few days, follow up with another email.
In letters and emails, it is helpful if you include relevant details such as page numbers or figures where appropriate. You may want to attach additional materials, such as previous versions of the paper or other articles published by the same journal, to help the editor understand your ideas and to highlight any issues that may need clarification. Avoid being argumentative or defensive in your responses; instead, try to keep the tone positive and constructive.
Remarks for both the editor and the authors: In this section, you should make a thorough report on the various sections of the manuscript. Begin with a brief synopsis of the manuscript you wrote following your first reading. Then, in a numbered list, explain each of the concerns you discovered that require attention. Finally, suggest changes that would improve the quality of the manuscript.
The official word on how to write an author's comment is rather short: "Write a long letter." Actually, academic journals expect letters to be at least three pages long (although some prefer four or five). So, you need to cover enough material to support three pages of text without repeating yourself or covering similar ground more than once. Also, remember to be polite when writing these comments!
There are two types of comments that may appear on a manuscript when it is being reviewed by others for publication: external and internal. External comments come from people other than the authors, such as referees who check your work before it is submitted to a journal. Internal comments come from team members within the authors' organization; for example, a department chair might provide comments on an article they have published. Both types of comments help the authors make improvements to their manuscript.
External comments are sent directly to the authors via email. They usually include suggestions for changes they can make to their manuscript before submitting it for review.
Begin with two or three positive aspects of the book. Comment on the author's depth of study, her rich details and descriptions, or his plain writing style. After a small ego boost, everyone is more open to criticism. Tell the writer what you like and don't like about the book. Ask questions to get him to explain ideas or processes that aren't clear to you.
Also mention any problems you found with your library or archives. For example, if one of the books you used as a source was difficult to find in a library, let the author know it was hard to read without being able to see the text inside.
Finally, tell the author when/if his book will be available again. Remind him that many libraries require books to be checked out for only one user at a time, so let him know if he wants others to have access to the book.
Criticism is subjective; there are no right or wrong answers. However, it's important for authors to hear what people have to say about their work. This helps them improve future projects and allows them to connect with other writers.
Guidelines for Responding to Other People's Writing
Writing a Reaction or Response Paper
Writing a Reaction or Response Paper
Suggestions for follow-up emails
This step-by-step guide to preparing a rebuttal letter is intended to help writers during the revision process in order to assure the grant of appeal.