fixup contributing file

docs/contributing.md

@@ -1,35 +1,41 @@
 # Contributing
+
 All contributions are welcome!
 
 ## Bug Reporting
-If you find a bug, submit a bug report on GitHub Issues. 
+
+If you find a bug, submit a bug report on GitHub Issues.
 
 ## Adding Features/Fixing Bugs
+
 If you have identified a new feature or bug that you can fix yourself, please follow the following procedure.
 
-1. Clone `main` branch.
-2. Create a new branch to contain your changes. 
-2. `add`, `commit`, and `push` your changes to this branch. 
-3. Create a pull request (PR). See more information on submitting a PR request below.
+1. Fork `main` branch.
+2. Create a new branch to contain your changes.
+3. `add`, `commit`, and `push` your changes to this branch.
+4. Create a pull request (PR). See more information on submitting a PR request below.
 
 ### Submitting a Pull Request
-1. If necessary, please **write your own unit tests** and add them to [the tests directory](https://github.com/rctn/sparsecoding/blob/main/docs/contributing.md). 
-2. Verify that all tests are passed by running `python -m unittest tests/*`.
-3. Be sure that your PR follows formatting guidelines, [PEP8](https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/) and [flake8](https://flake8.pycqa.org/en/latest/). 
-4. Make sure the title of your PR summarizes the features/issues resolved in your branch. 
-5. Submit your pull request and add reviewers. 
+
+1. If necessary, please **write your own unit tests** and place them near the code being tested. High-level tests, such as integration or example tests can be placed in the top-level "tests" folder.
+2. Verify that all tests are passed by running `python -m pytest .`.
+3. Be sure that your PR follows formatting guidelines, [PEP8](https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/) and [flake8](https://flake8.pycqa.org/en/latest/).
+4. Make sure the title of your PR summarizes the features/issues resolved in your branch.
+5. Submit your pull request and add reviewers.
 
 ## Coding Style Guidelines
-The following are some guidelines on how new code should be written. Of course, there are special cases, and there will be exceptions to these rules. 
+
+The following are some guidelines on how new code should be written. Of course, there are special cases, and there will be exceptions to these rules.
 
 1. Format code in accordance with [flake8](https://flake8.pycqa.org/en/latest/) standard.
 2. Use underscores to separate words in non-class names: `n_samples` rather than `nsamples`.
 3. Avoid single-character variable names.
 
 ## Docstrings
+
 When writing docstrings, please follow the following example.
 
-```
+```py
 def count_beans(self, baz, use_gpu=False, foo="vector"
                 bar=None):
    """Write a one-line summary for the method.
@@ -69,4 +75,4 @@ def count_beans(self, baz, use_gpu=False, foo="vector"
    quantum-mechanical description of physical reality be 
    considered complete?. Physical review, 47(10), 777.
    """
-```
+```