158 replace term survey

paper.tex

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 Instead, we highlight central RSE units.
 Motivation for their existence is discussed, underpinned by working examples both in neighbouring fields as well as outside of Germany.
 The heart of this paper is a vision of a central RSE unit, its structure, and the definition of nine core support modules such a unit may provide.
-An initial survey finds that there is considerable diversity within the module distribution, even within the few considered groups.
+We collected feedback from existing RSE departments and found that there is considerable diversity within the module distribution, even for such a small group.
 We discuss initial observations on possible clusters, but further studies are needed.
 Finally, we discuss realisation strategies.
 While this paper focuses mostly on the German academic environment, some general strategies should also apply elsewhere.
@@ -460,14 +460,14 @@ \section{Existing Implementations}%
 \end{figure}
 
 A number of successful RSE units have already been established in Germany and many more exist in other countries, especially the UK and the US\@.
-In order to understand the service portfolio of these existing RSE units, we conducted a small survey that received a total of twelve responses from Germany, the UK and the US\@.
-We asked RSE units for the composition of their service portfolio --- the results are shown in Figure~\ref{fig:survey}.
+We collected feedback from twelve RSE units from Germany, the UK and the US on their service portfolios.
+Their answers are summarised in Figure~\ref{fig:survey}.
 
 From the gathered data and the additional free text information of the participants, we conclude that the service components that we have identified in Section~\ref{sec:vision} are indeed relevant for existing RSE units.
 Additionally, we see a large diversity in the weighting of these components, which is to be expected given the different environments of the RSE units.
 Within this diverse data set, we identified two rather different archetypes of RSE units: those that offer development services and those that do not.
 The RSE units offering development services would typically invest a lot of their resources into this component, whereas others put a much larger emphasis on teaching and consultation services.
-We should note however, that our survey did not collect information about the size of the RSE unit.
+We should note however, that feedback from the RSE units does not include information about the size of the RSE unit.
 It is likely that the RSE units offering development services are also larger in size,
   and that their total resource commitment to teaching and consultation services is similar to that of those RSE units that do not offer development services.
 
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ \section{Conclusions}
 
 In this paper, we have outlined a vision for central RSE units in research institutions, focusing particularly on the German research landscape.
 We have proposed a modular framework for structuring the services of such units, identifying nine fundamental modules and providing concrete pathways for their implementation.
-Our survey of existing RSE units illustrates that such structures can take various forms, ranging from consultation-focused groups to those offering extensive software development services.
+Feedback from existing RSE units illustrates that such structures can take various forms, ranging from consultation-focused groups to those offering extensive software development services.
 Yet, all serve to consolidate expertise within a research institution, strengthen cooperation across scientific disciplines, and increase the overall quality of research.
 
 Besides addressing local needs in software development and maintenance, well-established RSE units also bring broader institutional benefits, such as improved funding acquisition or enhanced reputational standing.

review_answers/review_1_answers.md

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 > The conclusions are generally consistent with the arguments presented, but somewhat stronger than the evidence allows. Recommendations for investing in central RSE units are justified, but statements suggesting widespread institutional improvements should be more carefully balanced with a discussion of risks, costs, governance challenges, and potential failure modes.
 
 **Answer:**
+We did not intend to conduct a statistically significant survey of RSE units. Our aim was to collect some feedback that we can use to demmonstrate the breadth of services offered by existing units and to support the selection of service modules we defined. We have replaced the term survey with less formal formulations.
+
 
 ---
 

review_answers/review_2_answers.md

@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
 > You surveyed only 12 RSE units. This is very small. State clearly in the text that this is a pilot survey and not representative. You mention this in the data availability section but not in the main text. Add a limitation sentence here.
 
 **Answer:**
-
+We did not intend to conduct a statistically significant survey of RSE units. Our aim was to collect some feedback that we can use to demmonstrate the breadth of services offered by existing units and to support the selection of service modules we defined. We have replaced the term survey with less formal formulations.
 ---
 
 ### Comment 17