[Clascomment] OPT-IN: A comparison of forward and backward pp pair knockout in 3He(e, e'pp)n

[Reinhard Schumacher]

                                                                  2-2-12
Hello Larry and Hovhannes,

	Your paper on "A comparison of forward and backward pp pair knockout in 3He"  is quite nice: easy to read and clear.  The result is simple to understand in the manner that you present it.  My suggestions are few in number:

Figs. 2, 3, 5, 7:  These old-fashioned kind of dot plots are quite hard to appreciate.  That is, they look like a nearly uniform black smear, given how small they are;  the density changes are difficult to see.   I would try to remake these plots in a more appealing way, perhaps by using color, or some kind of smoothed contours.

Fig. 2 caption:  Mention to the reader not only what the line is but what it is that defines the boundaries.  It is CLAS acceptance, or reaction kinematics?

Fig. 3b: this figure is an unreadable smear of black.  The "peaks" you discuss are not visible.

Line 229:  I would replace "He calculates the..."  with  "In this calculation..."  since the "he" is one of the authors.  

Line 243:  Why should I note this fact?  It seem unrelated to the rest of the discussion.   Can you delete this sentence?  If not, what are you trying to say?

Lines 243, 285, 306, 367, 385...  You have a habit of starting sentences with "Note..." without there being any compelling reason for the reader to make a "note" of whatever you are saying.  Consider dropping this phrase in numerous places.  

Figure 5b:  I am not sure what the reader is supposed to learn from this plot.  It looks the same, more or less, as the earlier figure 3b.  Explain what is "new" about this plot.

Figure 6: there is a label "b)" that does not belong.


	Sorry for sending these comments at the last minute!

Best Regards,
Reinhard