diff --git a/docs/source/developer_documentation.rst b/docs/source/developer_documentation.rst
index 778a2f57..446107fd 100644
--- a/docs/source/developer_documentation.rst
+++ b/docs/source/developer_documentation.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ Developer Documentation
 =======================
 
 **Note this document is a work in progress. Contrbitions to all sections are welcome.**
+
 Github Workflow
 ---------------
 
@@ -26,20 +27,31 @@ A variety of coding conventions are enforced by automated tools in continuous in
 PyRenew Principles
 ------------------
 
--  Variable naming conventions
+Variable naming conventions
+---------------------------
+-  Use the ``data_`` prefix for (potentially) observed data.
+-  Use the ``_rv`` suffix for random variables.
+-  Use the ``observed_`` for the output of sample statements where ``obs`` is a ``data_`` prefixed object.
+-  Thus, code which may reasonably written like ``infections = infections.sample(x, obs=infections)`` should instead be written ``observed_infections = infections_rv.sample(x, obs=data_infections)``.
+
+
+Class conventions
+-----------------
+-  Composing ``Model`` objects is discouraged. To modularize and reuse code across ``Model``s, create custom ``RandomVariable`` classes.
+-  Returning anything from ``Model.sample`` is discouraged. Instead, sample from models using ``Predictive`` or our ``prior_predictive`` or ``posterior_predictive`` functions.
+-  Using ``numpyro.deterministic`` within a ``RandomVariable.sample`` method is discouraged. Only use it in ``Model.model`` calls. If something might need to be recorded from a ``RandomVariable``, it should be returned from the ``RandomVariable.sample`` call so it can be recorded within the ``Model.model`` call.
+-  Use ``DeterministicVariable``\ s instead of constants within a model.
+
+Naming of ``RandomVariable`` instances and associated sample sites
+------------------------------------------------------------------
+In ``numpyro``, Bayesian models are specified in terms of named `"sample sites" <https://num.pyro.ai/en/stable/primitives.html#sample>`_. These "sample sites" represent individual observed or inferred values or groups of such values; they can be thought of as the nodes of a [directed acyclic graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_network) defining the model.
+
+In ``numpyro``, one defines sample sites via calls to ``numpyro.sample()`` or ``numpyro.deterministic()``. The sites must be given names at that point.
 
-   -  Use the ``data_`` prefix for (potentially) observed data.
-   -  Use the ``_rv`` suffix for random variables.
-   -  Use the ``observed_`` for the output of sample statements where ``obs`` is a ``data_`` prefixed object.
-   -  Thus, code which may reasonably written like ``infections = infections.sample(x, obs=infections)`` should instead be written ``observed_infections = infections_rv.sample(x, obs=data_infections)``.
+In ``pyrenew``, we define sample sites within the ``sample()`` methods of ``RandomVariable`` objects. In general, the names of the sample sites associated to a particular instance of a ``RandomVariable`` should be specified by the end user when they create that instance.
 
--  Class conventions
+Hard-coding sample site names in a ``RandomVariable.sample()`` call is strongly discouraged, and even setting subclass-level default values should generally be avoided. Instead, instances of a ``RandomVariable`` should have a user-specified ``name`` attribute defined at instance construction; that ``name`` attribute should then be used to define any sample site names when the ``.sample()`` method is called.
 
-   -  Composing models is discouraged.
-   -  Returning anything from ``Model.sample`` is discouraged. Instead, sample from models using ``Predictive`` or our ``prior_predictive`` or ``posterior_predictive`` functions.
-   -  Using ``numpyro.deterministic`` within a ``RandomVariable`` is discouraged. Only use at the ``numpyro.deterministic`` ``Model`` level. If something might need to be recorded from a ``RandomVariable``, it should be returned from the ``RandomVariable`` so it can be recorded at the ``Model`` level.
-   -  Using default site names in a ``RandomVariable`` is discouraged. Only use default site names at the ``Model`` level.
-   -  Use ``DeterministicVariable``\ s instead of constants within a model.
 
 Adding Documentation to Sphinx
 ------------------------------