We're just supposed to play nice and say nice things with everyone? Happy critiques only? - Hedgehog

Most people, I think, would not consider "critique" and "judgement" to be the same. Related, sure, but not the same. I'm not sure what is going on in your chapter, but perhaps your assessments are coming off as being critical of more than whatever it is your chapter is about (such as an institution, theorist, etc)? - Soup in a TARDIS

Hm, it has been more, "If you want to do X without Y, it is very hard." - Mark Kille

Is the fact that doing X without Y relevant to the chapter? Or is it an unneeded personal belief held by you? Some people view any kind of unneeded assessment or extra comment as judgmental. It's also okay to decide your reviewers are simply mistaken. If you don't think their criticism on this point is valid, then seriously consider dismissing it. - Soup in a TARDIS

It's always directly on-topic for the chapter, but the argument doesn't always fall apart without them, so I am usually erring on the side of keeping the reviewers happy and just cutting. - Mark Kille

Dunno then, mate. Reviewers can be a prickly bunch in my experience. - Soup in a TARDIS

Did the reviewer provide something more concrete than just "eliminate judgmental language"? If you're doing a good job as a reviewer and you find fault with the language you ought to be able to provide sample text to demonstrate to the author how to more effectively approach the topic - or deliver the required improvement. You could push back and ask the editor to have the reviewer provide more concrete examples - or try to make a case for why you need to keep the language as is - if you don't think it's overly judgmental. - steven bell

I would a) take as generous a reading as possible of reviewers' comments and see if they help you in any way, b) check with the editor if you aren't sure what the comments mean and can't figure out how they might improve your work and c) ignore it if neither you nor your editor can figure it out or if you decide their suggestion is not helpful. Reviewers are often wrong. My guess is that it has something to do with tone more than actual argument, but that's just a guess. - barbara fister

And if he tortured animals as a child is probably also a serial killer. Which would account for the unhelpful review. - barbara fister

Well, this thread went... somewhere - Aaron the Librarian

To be clear, the reviewers had many other helpful things to say, and as it will (if all goes well) be my first official LIS publication, I'm open to the possibility that I'm an opinionated jerk by LIS standards. (@steven bell, no, I didn't get anything more concrete.) - Mark Kille

(Any thread with bed-wetting serial killers in it is a successful thread.) - Mark Kille

Definitely ask for clarifying info and sample text. I gave notes for tone to an author, and was happy to edit some of the text to show how I recommended the sections be changed. Like Barbara, I immediately thought of tone, rather than argument. - kaijsa