Importing reviews

Learn how to import peer review comments into Rebuttr from various formats.

Supported Formats

Rebuttr can import reviews from multiple file formats and sources:

Format	Extensions	Description
PDF Files	`.pdf`	Import reviews from PDF documents. Text is extracted automatically, including multi-column layouts.
Word Documents	`.docx` `.doc`	Import from Microsoft Word documents. Supports both modern and legacy formats.
Plain Text	`.txt`	Paste text directly or upload plain text files. Best for simple review formats.
JSON	`.json`	Import structured data for programmatic workflows or migrations from other tools.

Importing via the Web Interface

Method 1: Paste Text

The simplest way to import reviews:

Navigate to your paper
Click "Add Review"
Select the reviewer source (Reviewer 1, 2, 3, Editor, or AE)
Paste the review text into the text area
Click "Import"

Method 2: File Upload

Upload documents directly:

Click "Add Review" then "Upload File"
Drag and drop your file or click to browse
Rebuttr extracts the text automatically
Review the extracted text and adjust if needed
Click "Import"

Smart Parsing

Rebuttr uses AI to automatically split reviews into individual comments and categorize them by type (major, minor, technical, editorial).

Importing via CLI

Import reviews programmatically using the command line:

Terminal

# Import a PDF review
$ rebuttr import --paper "My Paper" --reviewer 1 --file review.pdf

# Import from text file
$ rebuttr import --paper "My Paper" --reviewer 2 --file review.txt

# Import JSON data
$ rebuttr import --paper "My Paper" --file reviews.json --format json
                

JSON Import Format

For structured imports, use the following JSON format:

reviews.json

{
  "reviewer": "Reviewer 1",
  "comments": [
    {
      "text": "The methodology section lacks detail...",
      "category": "major",
      "lineReference": "Lines 45-67"
    },
    {
      "text": "Consider adding a figure to illustrate...",
      "category": "minor"
    }
  ]
}
                

See the JSON Format Reference for complete documentation.

Comment Categories

Rebuttr categorizes comments to help prioritize your responses:

Category	Description	Typical Response
Major	Significant issues requiring substantial revision	Detailed response with evidence of changes
Minor	Important but less critical suggestions	Acknowledge and describe changes made
Technical	Methods, statistics, or technical details	Clarify or provide additional detail
Editorial	Grammar, formatting, typos	Brief acknowledgment of correction

Editing Imported Comments

After import, you can refine the parsed comments:

Split comments: Click "Split" to divide a multi-part comment
Merge comments: Select multiple comments and click "Merge"
Re-categorize: Click the category badge to change it
Edit text: Click on the comment text to make corrections

PDF Quality

PDF text extraction works best with native PDFs. Scanned documents may have extraction errors. Consider using OCR tools first if you have scanned reviews.

Best Practices

Import all reviewers' comments before starting responses
Review the auto-categorization and adjust as needed
Use JSON import for complex or multi-round reviews
Keep original review documents for reference

Next Steps

AI features - Generate responses with AI assistance
Exporting - Create your rebuttal document
JSON format - Full format specification