Major Revision vs Minor Revision: What Should Authors Do?
A revision decision is not an acceptance or a rejection. The label tells you how much work the editor believes is needed before the manuscript can be reconsidered, but the exact comments matter more than the label itself.
A minor revision usually asks for limited clarifications, corrections, or presentation changes; a major revision can require new analyses, stronger methods explanations, substantial rewriting, or additional evidence. In both cases, read the editor letter first, convert every comment into a revision checklist, revise the manuscript before drafting the final response letter, and answer every point explicitly. The safest plan is to prioritize scientific and methodological issues before language or formatting changes.
What a Minor Revision Usually Means
Minor revision generally signals that the editor sees a plausible path to publication if a defined set of issues is resolved. Typical requests include clearer wording, added citations, tighter reporting, small table or figure changes, and limited methodological clarification.
What a Major Revision Usually Means
Major revision means the manuscript needs substantive work before the editor can make another decision. Requests may involve re-analysis, additional robustness checks, clearer study-design justification, a revised discussion, new limitations, or major restructuring.
How to Prioritize the Decision Letter
Start with editor-level instructions, then identify comments that could alter the study's conclusions or validity. Methodology and statistics usually come before wording and formatting because they can change what the manuscript is allowed to claim.
Build a Revision Matrix
Create one row per editor or reviewer comment with columns for priority, action required, manuscript location, status, and response-letter wording. This prevents small comments from being lost while larger revisions are underway.
Before You Resubmit
Cross-check that every promised change appears in the manuscript, every material manuscript change is reflected in the response letter, and the revised files follow the journal's resubmission instructions.
Frequently asked questions
It means the manuscript is still under active consideration, but publication is not guaranteed. The quality and completeness of the revision matter.
Yes. A weak, incomplete, or inconsistent response can still lead to rejection, especially if important comments were not actually resolved.
Yes. Even when a comment requires no manuscript change, explain why and respond explicitly.
References
- PMC — A Practical Guide on Responding to Reviews
Peer-reviewed practical guidance on preparing revisions and point-by-point responses.
- ICMJE Recommendations
International recommendations on responsible manuscript preparation, reporting, and editorial practice.