AER Rebuttal

Overview

A Revise & Resubmit at AER is precious. The rebuttal goal is not to "defend the paper"; it is to give the editor a credible package they can send back to referees with confidence.

Rule: revise the manuscript first; write the response letter against the revised manuscript, never the old draft.

When to Use

• An R&R decision has arrived
• A "reject and resubmit" requires a structured response
• A conditional acceptance comes with minor revisions
• The user needs to decide which reviewer comments to concede, clarify, or push back on

Do not use this skill for: