In Blog

After the initial excitement of submitting your manuscript, the waiting period for feedback can be agonising. It’s fair to say that the peer review process can make you feel exposed and vulnerable! Just remember, as Stephen Jay Gould said, “Science, in the end, is an open process, and peer review is the principal mechanism by which the secrets of a new discovery can be revealed to everyone.”

In this blog post, Dr. Laura Roden provides us her perspective on how best to handle and progress through peer reivew:

Handling Reviewer Feedback

Receiving feedback can be daunting, especially if it’s not an outright acceptance. Keep in mind that a rare few experience the joy of a first-time acceptance. Instead, most researchers face the more common outcomes of ‘revise and resubmit’ or ‘reject’. In fact, according to a study by Elsevier (Herbert, 2020), the average eventual acceptance rate across 2,371 journals surveyed in 2017 was 32%.

So, rejection is common but it can still feel particularly tough if it’s your first rejection or if you were excited about sharing your findings. Remember, it’s important not to take it personally. Carefully read the feedback provided, and consider re-reading it after taking some time to process the outcome.

Strategies for Dealing with Rejection

  1. Understand the Reason for Rejection:
    • Your manuscript may not have been suitable for the journal. To minimise such rejections, carefully select target journals beforehand. 
  2. Prepare for Rejection:
    • Have a list of potential journals for your manuscript, ranked by preference, ready during the planning stage. This allows for a quick resubmission, softening the blow of rejection.
  3. Seek Expert Advice:
    • The Insight Editing team can help you with journal selection and provide alternative options if your first-choice journal rejects your manuscript!

Appealing a Rejection

If you believe a rejection is unjust, you have the option to appeal. However, it’s wise to wait at least 24 hours before responding. This allows you to reflect on the decision and consult with co-authors or trusted colleagues. If you decide to appeal, your response should be calm and well-reasoned, clearly outlining why you believe the decision should be reconsidered.

Managing a ‘Revise and Resubmit’ Decision

A ‘revise and resubmit’ decision can also be challenging, especially if extensive revisions are required. Here’s how to handle it:

  1. Carefully Read the Feedback:
    • Take time to reflect on the feedback with your co-authors before starting the revisions.
  2. Maintain Professionalism:
    • Remember that reviewers are your peers. Their feedback is meant to improve the quality of your manuscript. Keep your responses respectful and polite.
  3. Address Reviewers’ Comments Thoughtfully:
    • If a reviewer missed information already in your manuscript, consider whether it was clearly presented. If something is unclear to a reviewer, it may also be unclear to readers.
    • If you disagree with a reviewer’s suggestion, explain your reasoning politely, backing it up with evidence.
  4. Seek Expert Advice:
    • The Insight Editing London team aren’t just on hand for support before you submit you manuscript – we can also help you to prepare and polish your rebuttal so that it is calm, accurate, and objective. We’ll also check that your answers are sufficient, and that you have carefully updated your manuscript in line with the reviewer’s comments.

Remember: The peer review system plays a crucial role in ensuring the robustness and reliability of published work. As researchers, we participate in this system as both authors and reviewers. Remember to remain calm and professional in both roles so that you continue to contribute to the scientific community with integrity and respect.

Herbert, Rachel, Accept Me, Accept Me Not: What Do Journal Acceptance Rates Really Mean? (February 15, 2020). International Center for the Study of Research, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3526365 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3526365