diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
index 430c1532e..39fd774e2 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 
 // Copyright 2001  California Institute of Technology
 
-// simple xml functions
 
 // turn off warnings under Windows
 #ifdef WIN32
@@ -41,9 +40,13 @@ namespace Cantera {
 
   //! Classs representing a generic XML error condition
   class XML_Error : public CanteraError {
-  public:
+  protected:
     //! Constructor
     /*!
+     * Note, we don't actually post the error in this class.
+     * Therefore, this class can't be used externally. Therefore,
+     * it's a protected constructor.
+     *
      * @param line Number number where the error occurred.
      */
     XML_Error(int line=0) :
@@ -54,31 +57,66 @@ namespace Cantera {
 	m_msg += " at line " + int2str(line+1);
       }
       m_msg += ".\n";
-      //setError("XML_Error",m_msg);
     }
+
     //! destructor
     virtual ~XML_Error() {}
+
   protected:
     //! Line number of the file
     int m_line;
+
     //! String message for the error
     std::string m_msg;
   };
     
+  //! Class representing a specific type of XML file formatting error
+  /*!
+   * An XML tag is not matched
+   */
   class XML_TagMismatch : public XML_Error {
   public:
-    XML_TagMismatch(string opentag, string closetag, 
-		    int line=0) : XML_Error(line) {
+
+    //! Constructor
+    /*!
+     *  An XML element must have the same opening and closing name.
+     *
+     *  @param  opentag     String representing the opening of the XML bracket
+     *  @param  closetag    String representing the closing of the XML bracket 
+     *  @param  line        Line number where the error occurred.
+     */
+    XML_TagMismatch(std::string opentag, std::string closetag, 
+		    int line=0) :
+      XML_Error(line)
+    {
       m_msg += "<" + opentag + "> paired with </" + closetag + ">.\n";
-      setError("XML_TagMismatch",m_msg);
+      setError("XML_TagMismatch", m_msg);
     }
+
+    //! Destructor
     virtual ~XML_TagMismatch() {}
   };
 
+  //! Class representing a specific type of XML file formatting error
+  /*!
+   * An XML_Node doesn't have a required child node
+   */
   class XML_NoChild : public XML_Error {
   public:
-    XML_NoChild(const XML_Node* p, string parent, 
-		string child, int line=0) : XML_Error(line) {
+
+    //! Constructor
+    /*!
+     *  An XML element doesn't have the required child node
+     *
+     *  @param  p           XML_Node to write a string error message
+     *  @param  parent      Namf of the parent node
+     *  @param  child       Name of the required child node
+     *  @param  line        Line number where the error occurred.
+     */
+    XML_NoChild(const XML_Node* p, std::string parent, 
+		std::string child, int line=0) : 
+      XML_Error(line)
+    {
       m_msg += "           The XML Node \"" + parent + 
 	"\", does not contain a required\n" +
 	"           XML child node named \"" 
@@ -88,18 +126,37 @@ namespace Cantera {
       p->write(ss,1);
       m_msg += ss.str() + "\n";
 #endif
-      setError("XML_NoChild",m_msg);
+      setError("XML_NoChild", m_msg);
     }
+
+    //! Destructor
     virtual ~XML_NoChild() {}
   };
 
+  //! Class representing a specific type of XML file formatting error
+  /*!
+   * An XML_Node's units attribute has the wrong type of units.
+   */
   class XML_IllegalUnits : public XML_Error {
   public:
-    XML_IllegalUnits(string name, string units, int line=0) : XML_Error(line) {
+
+    //! Constructor
+    /*!
+     *  Wrong units string.
+     *
+     *  @param  name        Name of the current XML node
+     *  @param  units       Units string in the "units" attribute
+     *  @param  line        Line number where the error occurred.
+     */
+    XML_IllegalUnits(std::string name, std::string units, int line=0) :
+      XML_Error(line)
+    {
       m_msg += "Illegal units (" + units + 
 	") specified for node " + name + ".\n";
-      setError("XML_IllegalUnits",m_msg);
+      setError("XML_IllegalUnits", m_msg);
     }
+
+    //! Destructor
     virtual ~XML_IllegalUnits() {}
   };
 
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
index 9b795d108..351fc32bd 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     //! space.
     /*!
      *  White space is defined by the ISO C function isspace(), and
-     *  includes tabs, spaces, \n. \r, \v, and \f.
+     *  includes tabs, spaces, \\n. \\r, \\v, and \\f.
      *
      * @param aline  Input line to be stripped
      *
@@ -70,18 +70,31 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     std::string strip(const std::string& aline) const;
 
-    /// Looks for a substring within 'aline' enclosed in double
-    /// quotes, and returns this substring (without the quotes) if
-    /// found.  If not, an empty string is returned.
-    /// @todo why is this a class method?
+    //! Looks for a substring within 'aline' enclosed in double
+    //! quotes, and returns this substring (without the quotes) if
+    //! found.  If not, an empty string is returned.
+    /*!
+     *
+     *  @param aline This is the input string to be searched
+     *
+     *  @todo why is this a class method?
+     */
     std::string inquotes(const std::string& aline) const;
-
-    /**
-     *  Searches a string for the first occurrence of a valid
-     *  quoted string. Quotes can start with either a single
+    
+    //!  Searches a string for the first occurrence of a valid
+    //!  quoted string.
+    /*!
+     *  Quotes can start with either a single
      *  quote or a double quote, but must also end with the same
      *  type. Quotes may be commented out by preceding with a
      *  backslash character, '\\'. 
+     *
+     *  @param aline     This is the input string to be searched
+     *  @param rstring   Return value of the string that is found.
+     *                   The quotes are stripped from the string.
+     *
+     *  @return          Returns the integer position just after
+     *                   the quoted string.
      */
     int findQuotedString(const std::string& aline, std::string &rstring) const;
 
@@ -206,7 +219,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     //!    same time add a value to the child
     /*!
      *    Resulting XML string:
-     *      <name>value</name>
+     *      \<name\> value \</name\>
      *
      *   @param   name       Name of the child XML_Node object
      *   @param   value      Value of the XML_Node - string
@@ -221,7 +234,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
      *  to the output of the value.
      *
      *    Resulting XML string:
-     *      <name>value</name>
+     *      \<name\> value \</name\>
      *
      *   @param   name       Name of the child XML_Node object
      *   @param   value      Value of the XML_Node - double.
@@ -285,7 +298,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
      *  @param cname  Name of the child node to the current
      *                node, for which you want the value
      */
-    std::string operator()(std::string loc) const;
+    std::string operator()(std::string cname) const;
 
     //! Return the value of an XML node as a single double
     /*!
@@ -427,10 +440,9 @@ namespace Cantera {
 
     //! Return an unchangeable reference to the vector of children of the current node
     /*!
-     * Each of the individual XML_Node child pointers, however,
+     *  Each of the individual XML_Node child pointers, however,
      *  is to a changeable xml node object.
      *
-     *  @param n  Number of the child to return
      */
     const std::vector<XML_Node*>& children() const;
 
@@ -668,9 +680,9 @@ namespace Cantera {
      *  This is the string contents of the XML node. For
      *  example. The xml node named eps:
      *
-     *      <eps>
+     *      \<eps\>
      *         valueString
-     *      </eps>
+     *      \</eps\>
      *
      *  has a m_value string containing "valueString".
      */