Revision, Peer Feedback, and Submission

Your paper has a structure, content, and citations. Now comes the phase that separates good papers from published ones: revision. Multiple rounds of targeted editing — checking logic, clarity, tone, and completeness — transform a draft into a manuscript.

AI is an excellent revision partner. It doesn’t get tired, it doesn’t get defensive, and it can check for things humans miss.

🔄 Quick Recall: In the previous lesson, you verified all citations, cited AI use properly, and checked your paper against academic integrity standards. Now you’ll revise the content itself to publication quality.

The Three-Pass Revision Strategy

Don’t try to fix everything at once. Use three focused passes:

Pass 1: Structure and Logic

Is the argument coherent from start to finish?

Review the logical flow of my paper:

[Paste Introduction and Discussion, or the full paper]

Check for:
1. Does the Introduction clearly state the research gap?
2. Does each section logically follow from the previous one?
3. Does the Discussion address all research questions from the Introduction?
4. Are there any logical leaps or unsupported claims?
5. Is there anything in the Discussion that wasn't set up in the Introduction?

This pass catches the biggest problems: structural gaps, arguments that don’t connect, and conclusions that appear out of nowhere.

Pass 2: Clarity and Precision

Is every sentence clear and necessary?

Review this section for clarity and precision:

[Paste one section at a time]

Flag sentences that are:
- Ambiguous (could be interpreted multiple ways)
- Too long (over 30 words)
- Redundant (say the same thing as another sentence)
- Passive when active would be clearer
- Using jargon without definition (for a non-specialist reader)

Suggest specific rewrites for each flagged sentence.

Academic writing has a reputation for being dense and unclear. AI can help you write sentences that are precise without being impenetrable.

✅ Quick Check: AI rewrites your sentence from “The methodology was employed by the researchers” to “We used this methodology.” Is this appropriate for an academic paper? (Answer: It depends on the journal’s style. Many modern journals accept and even prefer active voice and first person (“We used”). Some traditional journals still prefer passive voice. Check your target journal’s author guidelines for voice preferences.)

Pass 3: Academic Tone and Convention

Does it read like a published paper in your field?

Review this paper for academic writing conventions:

[Paste section]

Check for:
- Hedging language where appropriate ("suggests" vs "proves")
- Proper tense usage (past for methods/results, present for
  established knowledge)
- Consistent terminology (same concept = same word throughout)
- Appropriate citation density (claims backed by sources)
- Formal but readable tone (no slang, no overly casual language)

Incorporating Peer Feedback

AI can help you process and respond to feedback from advisors, co-authors, or peer reviewers:

My peer reviewer gave this feedback:
"[Paste the reviewer's comment]"

The relevant section of my paper says:
"[Paste the section they're critiquing]"

Help me:
1. Understand what the reviewer is really asking for
2. Draft a revised version of the section that addresses their concern
3. Write a response to the reviewer explaining what I changed and why

Responding to Reviewer Comments

For journal submissions, you’ll need a point-by-point response:

Reviewer comment: "[Comment]"

Help me draft a response that:
- Acknowledges the reviewer's point
- Explains what changes I made (or why I respectfully disagree)
- References the specific page/line where changes were made
- Maintains a professional, appreciative tone

✅ Quick Check: A reviewer writes: “The sample size is insufficient for the claims made.” You believe your sample is adequate. Should you simply disagree? (Answer: No. Provide evidence: cite your power analysis, reference similar studies with comparable sample sizes, or acknowledge the limitation and suggest it for future research. Respectful, evidence-based responses are expected. Simply disagreeing without justification will frustrate reviewers.)

Preparing for Submission

The Submission Checklist

MANUSCRIPT:
□ Title page with all author info and affiliations
□ Abstract within word limit (usually 150-300 words)
□ Keywords (5-7, matching journal's index terms)
□ All sections present and in order
□ Page numbers included
□ Line numbers included (if required)
□ Word count within journal limits

FIGURES & TABLES:
□ High resolution (300+ DPI for print)
□ Numbered consecutively
□ All referenced in text
□ Captions are self-explanatory

REFERENCES:
□ All citations verified
□ Format matches journal style exactly
□ No orphan citations (in text but not in references, or vice versa)

SUPPLEMENTARY:
□ AI disclosure statement included
□ Data availability statement
□ Conflict of interest declaration
□ Ethics approval reference number

Writing the Cover Letter

Write a cover letter for submitting my paper to [journal name].

Paper title: [title]
Key findings: [2-3 sentence summary]
Why this journal: [why it fits the journal's scope]
Novelty: [what's new about this work]
AI disclosure: [brief statement about AI tool use]

Keep it under 300 words. Professional but not stiff.

Choosing the Right Journal

If you haven’t chosen a journal yet, AI can help narrow options:

My paper is about [topic] with [methodology type] and [key finding].
Field: [discipline]
My preference: [impact factor range / open access / review speed]

Suggest 5 journals ranked by fit, with reasons for each.

Always verify suggestions by checking the journal’s actual scope, recent publications, and submission guidelines.

Practice Exercise

1. Take one section of your paper and run it through all three revision passes (structure, clarity, tone)
2. Ask a peer or colleague to read one section and give feedback
3. Use AI to help you process and respond to their feedback
4. Draft a cover letter for your target journal
5. Run through the submission checklist

Key Takeaways

• Use three focused revision passes: structure/logic, clarity/precision, tone/convention
• Revise section by section with specific instructions — never “make it better”
• AI excels at catching logical gaps, ambiguous sentences, and inconsistent terminology
• Process peer feedback through AI to understand concerns and draft revisions
• Check your target journal’s specific guidelines for formatting, word limits, and AI disclosure
• The cover letter matters — it’s your first impression with the editor

Up Next

In the final lesson, you’ll apply everything from this course to write a complete paper section from scratch — demonstrating the full AI-assisted research workflow.