Addressing the comments from the co-reader

How to start

The evaluation of the co-reader should be regarded as an "examination". Therefore, officially, the co-reader can take up to 3 weeks before a final decision.

If the remaining time before the final deadline is less than 3 weeks, you will receive a green/red light ("go" or "no go") from the co-reader without any comments. With a green light decision, we proceed to defense. With a red light decision, your thesis is a fail.

If there is still ample time before the final deadline, the co-reader may come back with a green/red light decision and some additional suggestions and comments. If it is "no go" with comments, then you must address them within the remaining time. If it is "go" with comments, you can choose to address the comments or not.

What to prepare

A final draft of the thesis addressing all comment from the co-reader.

A separate document to the co-reader explaining how the comments are addressed.

Guidance for preparation

All comments raised by the co-reader must be addressed. There are three ways to address the comments.

• Making new analyses

If the co-reader suggests some simple extension, additional tests or validation of some model assumption, if those suggestions are meaningful and doable, they can be addressed by making new analyses.

• Editing the text

If the extension suggested by the co-reader is meaningful but beyond the reach of the thesis or cannot be realized within short time, then you can address that in the text with a proper discussion.

Always address simple editorial suggestions from the co-reader.

• Doing nothing on the text, but providing a reply

If you do not agree with the co-reader's suggestion, you may choose to do nothing on the text but providing a convincing reply why the suggestion is wrong or irrelevant.

Please note that the last option should be used in a very limited way.

Besides editing the thesis draft, please prepare a separate document explaining how you addressed the comments raised by the co-reader, one by one. In the explanation, provide a clear guidance to the location in the revised texts (page number, line number, or a table or figure) where you have made changes.

What to expect

As the co-reading process is equivalent to examination, there is no supervision in this step.

I will read your final version after addressing the co-reader's comment and the reply to co-reader. After my approval, the status of the thesis turns to "hand in final version". You can then submit the final version to the system.

Time line regarding this Step

If there is no comment from the co-reader, and the co-reader gives green light, I will immediately change your thesis status and you can "hand in the final version".

If there are comments from the co-reader, after you submit the final version and the reply to co-reader, I will typically approve your thesis within 1-2 days.