Track Changes with Confidence: Compare PDF Document Versions for Manuscript Review in Research Dock

Collaborating on a research manuscript can be one of the most rewarding parts of academic work—but it’s rarely the most organized. Between emails, cloud folders, and countless PDF drafts floating around, keeping track of what’s changed between versions is often harder than it should be. Especially when multiple collaborators are involved, like supervisors, co-authors, and students, it's easy to lose sight of the manuscript’s progress.

At Research Dock, we’ve built a solution to that problem.

Our latest feature makes it simple and seamless to compare PDF document versions for manuscript review, directly within the platform. No more guessing what was added, what was removed, or which version of the document is the most recent. With version comparison now built into Research Dock, teams can work together with clarity and confidence.

What It Does

When a new version of a manuscript is uploaded, Research Dock automatically stores it alongside previous drafts. From there, any two versions can be compared side-by-side. The platform highlights differences—line by line—so you can instantly see where edits were made. Whether it’s a few sentences reworded or a major section added, you’ll see the changes clearly marked.

This is especially helpful for supervisors reviewing student drafts, or for co-authors trying to give targeted feedback without reading the entire document from scratch. Instead of scanning manually, you get a focused view of what’s new or different—saving time and reducing the chance of missing important revisions.

A Better Way to Collaborate

The comparison tool is tightly integrated into Research Dock’s manuscript workspace, so teams can not only review versions but also discuss changes, leave comments, and approve updates all in one place. No need for external software, confusing email chains, or lost feedback. Everyone stays on the same page—literally.

You’ll also have a complete version history, making it easy to track how a manuscript evolves over time. This kind of transparency is especially valuable when preparing papers for publication, where keeping a record of changes is essential.

Built for Research Teams

We designed this feature with real research workflows in mind. Whether you’re a student submitting your thesis, a postdoc drafting a paper, or a supervisor reviewing multiple projects, this tool helps you stay organized and informed. It supports better communication, clearer feedback, and a more structured path to publication.