diff --git a/python/pyspark/context.py b/python/pyspark/context.py
index aff14344ae371..b79600416b61a 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/context.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/context.py
@@ -488,14 +488,31 @@ def __init__(self, sparkContext):
         >>> srdd.collect() == [{"field1" : 1, "field2" : "row1"}, {"field1" : 2, "field2": "row2"}, {"field1" : 3, "field2": "row3"}]
         True
 
+        >>> sqlCtx.applySchema(srdd) # doctest: +IGNORE_EXCEPTION_DETAIL
+        Traceback (most recent call last):
+            ...
+        ValueError:...
+
+        >>> bad_rdd = sc.parallelize([1,2,3])
+        >>> sqlCtx.applySchema(bad_rdd) # doctest: +IGNORE_EXCEPTION_DETAIL
+        Traceback (most recent call last):
+            ...
+        ValueError:...
+
         # registerRDDAsTable
         >>> sqlCtx.registerRDDAsTable(srdd, "table1")
 
         # sql
-        >>> srdd2 = sqlCtx.sql("select field1 as f1, field2 as f2 from table1")
+        >>> srdd2 = sqlCtx.sql("SELECT field1 AS f1, field2 as f2 from table1")
         >>> srdd2.collect() == [{"f1" : 1, "f2" : "row1"}, {"f1" : 2, "f2": "row2"}, {"f1" : 3, "f2": "row3"}]
         True
 
+        # table
+        #>>> sqlCtx.sql("CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS src (key INT, value STRING)")
+        #>>> sqlCtx.sql('INSERT INTO src (key, value) VALUES (1, "one")')
+        #>>> sqlCtx.sql('INSERT INTO src (key, value) VALUES (2, "two")')
+        #>>> srdd3 = sqlCtx.table("src")
+        #>>> srdd3.collect() == [{"key" : 1, "value" : "one"}, {"key" : 2, "value": "two"}]
         """
         self._sc = sparkContext
         self._jsc = self._sc._jsc
@@ -506,17 +523,12 @@ def applySchema(self, rdd):
         """
         Infer and apply a schema to an RDD of L{dict}s. We peek at the first row of the RDD to
         determine the fields names and types, and then use that to extract all the dictionaries.
-
-       # >>> sc2 = SparkContext('local', 'test2') # doctest: +IGNORE_EXCEPTION_DETAIL
-       # Traceback (most recent call last):
-       #     ...
-       # ValueError:...
         """
         if (rdd.__class__ is SchemaRDD):
             raise ValueError("Cannot apply schema to %s" % SchemaRDD.__name__)
         elif not isinstance(rdd.first(), dict):
             raise ValueError("Only RDDs with dictionaries can be converted to %s: %s" %
-                             (SchemaRDD.__name__, rdd.first().__class__.__name))
+                             (SchemaRDD.__name__, rdd.first()))
 
         jrdd = self._sc._pythonToJavaMap(rdd._jrdd)
         srdd = self._ssql_ctx.applySchema(jrdd.rdd())
@@ -524,7 +536,8 @@ def applySchema(self, rdd):
 
     def registerRDDAsTable(self, rdd, tableName):
         """
-
+        Registers the given RDD as a temporary table in the catalog.  Temporary tables exist only
+        during the lifetime of this instance of SQLContext.
         """
         if (rdd.__class__ is SchemaRDD):
             jschema_rdd = rdd._jschema_rdd
@@ -533,22 +546,34 @@ def registerRDDAsTable(self, rdd, tableName):
             raise ValueError("Can only register SchemaRDD as table")
 
     def parquetFile(path):
+        """
+        Loads a Parquet file, returning the result as a L{SchemaRDD}.
+        """
         jschema_rdd = self._ssql_ctx.parquetFile(path)
         return SchemaRDD(jschema_rdd, self)
 
     def sql(self, sqlQuery):
         """
-        Run a sql query over a registered table, and return a L{SchemaRDD} with the results.
+        Executes a SQL query using Spark, returning the result as a L{SchemaRDD}.
         """
         return SchemaRDD(self._ssql_ctx.sql(sqlQuery), self)
 
-    def table(tableName):
+    def table(self, tableName):
+        """
+        Returns the specified table as a L{SchemaRDD}.
+        """
         return SchemaRDD(self._ssql_ctx.table(tableName), self)
 
     def cacheTable(tableName):
+        """
+        Caches the specified table in-memory.
+        """
         self._ssql_ctx.cacheTable(tableName)
 
     def uncacheTable(tableName):
+        """
+        Removes the specified table from the in-memory cache.
+        """
         self._ssql_ctx.uncacheTable(tableName)
 
 def _test():