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A4: reviewer 1 suggested that the first and second paragraphs are not necessary because “it’s just a general introduction to the anatomical structure of Juniperus species”. Isn’t it true that the writing begins with general facts about my research target and scope?

J: well, your introduction should begin with introducing the centrality of your study, as indicated in your title, the phytochemical, anatomical and histochemical characteristics and why it’s important to evaluate this features. So the reviewer’s suggestion make sense. If you really think that the geographical factors matter, you can add these in your following introduction when necessary.

1

J. rigida is endemic to East Asia, it is widespread cold temperate regions, including North and Northeastern China, Korea, and Japan, which is listed in the Red book of the China as a protected plant in the Loess Plateau. Some populations are growing in strongly disturbed areas, subjected to felling and fires in China. J. rigida is distributed among Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, northern Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia in China.

Move 1--

Establishing a territory

Step 1: claiming centrality

Step 2 Making topic generalizations

J: I think here is the good starting point by stating the commercial especially the medical use.

And you moved to the activities and functions of phenols and terpenoids.

2

To the best of our knowledge, the genus Juniperus has a high commercial value and many important medicinal properties, the phenols and terpenoids play a very important role, which have effective antibacterial and antioxidant activity including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral activities.

To the best of our knowledge, the genus Juniperus has a high commercial value and many important medicinal properties, the phenols and terpenoids play a very important role, which have effective antibacterial and antioxidant activity including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral activities.

A4: reviewer 2 pointed out that too few literatures here.

J: exactly, you need to report who have explored the medical uses of the species and why

A4: what do you mean by “why?”

J: Why people tend to adopt this species for the treatment of certain diseases?

A4: because it is common

J: see, I think you can consider to talk a little bit of the geographical factors of the plant here if you think this is important.

A4: yes, that makes sense.

3

In medicinal uses, it main treats rheumatic joint pain, gout, nephritis, edema, urinary tract infection and other diseases,

and plays an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.

They are used for medicinal products, which can treat rheumatic joint pain, gout, nephritis, edema, urinary tract infection, and other diseases. Juniperus rigida is endemic to East Asia and widespread across cold temperate regions, including North and Northeastern China, Korea, and Japan. J. rigida is widely distributed among Heilongjiang, … in China. The branches and leaves of J. rigida are utilized in traditional Tibetan and Mongolian medicine for the treatment of brucellosis, dropsy, skin disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Move 1 --

Establishing a territory

Step 3: Reviewing items of previous research

J: The major reason of rejection was for reviewer 1 believed that “the information is not new at all” but he/she also mentioned the strength of the study.

A4: yes, what’s new in this research is about anatomical analysis of the needles and relation between phenolic and terpenoids compounds of the speicies with various ages and altitudes.

J: that is very positive information, if we are moving to a new target journal, then we need to re-orient our research needs and goals.

A4: Yes. That’s what we need

J: when indicating a gap between what has been done and what is needed, in linguistics, we call this a “niche”, a very interesting word. And the first step we take is not stating the importance immediately, like you mentioned “… was extremely essential” here. Instead, expressions like “there’s on research has been done” or “few reports have been found” … will be regular in this part for niche …

4

Preliminary studies showed that there is a close relationship between plant structure and chemical composition. To explore the relationship between structural development and anatomical structure of J. rigida needles, and increasing the extraction rate, ensuring the quality of J. rigida needles, the histochemical study was extremely essential.

There are no previous studies on the anatomy of the needles of J. rigida species, so the diagnostic and morphoanatomical characterization of this plant drug is limited. In addition, studies on the phytochemical profiling of the J. rigida species have been done in some general ways with a focus on the chemical composition in needles of J. rigida species, but no research has been done to reveal the dynamic of altitudinal change.

Move 2: establishing a niche

Step 1: Indicating a gap

5

A lot of research for other plants has been done on the histochemistry of phenols and essential oil. The histochemistry of phenols in Baccharis spicata showed that the phenols present the phloem and the fiber caps.

Thereby, it is very necessary for the histochemical study of phenols and terpenoids, the research results can provide information for the accumulation of secondary metabolites of J. rigida, and provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive utilization of J. rigida.

Preliminary studies showed that there is a close relationship between plant structures and chemical composition. To explore the relationship between the structural development and anatomical structure of J. rigida needles, increase the compound extractionrate, and ensure the quality of J. rigida needles, the histochemical study is extremely essential.

A lot of research for other plants has been done on the histochemistry of phenols and essential oil. The histochemistry of phenols in Baccharis spicata shows that the phenols are present in the phloem and the fiber caps.

Therefore, a histochemical study of phenols and terpenoids is very important in that the results can provide information for the accumulation of secondary metabolites in J. rigida and thus add to the literature for the extensive utilization of this plant.

Move 2: establishing a niche

Step 1b Adding to what is known

Step 2 Presenting positive justification

J: your research purposes also needs to be restated.

A4:

J: to emphasize the novel findings of your research, not the active ingredients and active compounds, but something closely related to your topic and to fill in your research gap.

A4: yes, the chemical compositions and chemical compounds

J: I don’t think saying “provide scientific and theoretical basis for the utilization of J. rigida needles” is a good idea as it is too general …

6

The main targets of this study were to:

1) analyze the variations in anatomical, phytochemical and histochemical characterization of J. rigida needles at different ages and altitudes.

2) explore the relationship between the active ingredient and structural development, evaluate the presence and localization of active compounds of J. rigida needles.

3) provide scientific and theoretical basis for the utilization of J. rigida needles that as the natural products, which were widely used in cosmetics, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

The main targets of this study were to

1) reveal the variations in anatomical, phytochemical, and histochemical characteristics of J. rigida needles brought by the altitudinal factor;

2) explore the relationship between the chemical compositions and anatomical characters;

3) investigate the localization of important chemical compounds of J. rigida needles

Move 3 Presenting the present work

Step 1 Announcing present research descriptively and/or purposively