Ask which part needs changing and what the reviewer wants it to achieve. Offer possible interpretations when helpful, or request a relevant example. Confirm the first revision before applying a large change everywhere, keeping decision responsibility clear when instructions conflict.
An instruction to make a report stronger can mean better evidence, clearer writing or a more decisive recommendation. Guessing may send you into the wrong revision.
Ask which part needs changing and what the reviewer wants it to do. If helpful, offer the interpretations you are considering so they can identify the intended one. Request an example when the requirement remains unclear.
Confirm the first revision
For a large task, you may be able to revise one section and check that the direction is right before changing everything. Agree on that check if it affects the deadline or the reviewer's time.
Keep the clarified instruction with the work. If several people give conflicting directions, identify who decides or ask them to resolve the conflict through the appropriate process. You do not need to pretend a vague instruction is clear to appear capable. A precise question can save both parties from another round of revisions that look busy while leaving the original concern unanswered.
Clarifying the instruction to make a report stronger
An illustrative exampleSuppose a reviewer asks you to make a report stronger. You identify several possible meanings: adding evidence, clarifying the recommendation or shortening background. You ask which concern prompted the comment and learn that the recommendation is difficult to find. You revise the opening of one section and check whether it now provides the decision they need. They confirm the direction, so you apply the same principle to the remaining relevant sections. You keep the clarified instruction with the draft. If another reviewer asks for a conflicting structure, you identify who decides and raise that conflict before changing the report again. The first small revision tests the intended direction before a larger editing effort.
Turn the instruction into a task
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When different reviewers give conflicting instructions
Write the conflict in terms of the work: one request puts the recommendation first, while another asks for more background before it. Check whether the audience or task requirements explain the difference. Ask the responsible decision maker to resolve the direction through the agreed process. Avoid alternating between versions without clarifying authority. If a small sample can help the decision, prepare it with that purpose explicit. Store the chosen requirement with the draft so later edits can refer to the same instruction.
A clarification request
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