diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 70683fb..08878d4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 ONOS (Open Networking Operating System)
 =======================================
 
-ONOS (Open Networking Operating System) is an experimental distributed SDN OS. ONOS is under development. ONOS was announced and demonstrated at ONS'13.
+ONOS (Open Networking Operating System) is an experimental distributed
+SDN OS. Currently, it is under active development. ONOS was announced
+and demonstrated at ONS'13.
 
-Steps to download and setup development VM
+Steps to download and setup a development Virtual Machine
 ==========================================
 
 http://wiki.onlab.us/display/Eng/ONOS+Development+VM
@@ -11,84 +13,105 @@
 Building ONOS
 -------------
 
-0. Install custom jars and dependencies (Only need to be run only once)
+0. Install custom jars and dependencies (needs to be run only once)
 
     $ ./setup-local-maven.sh
 
-1. Cleanly Build ONOS
+1. Cleanly build ONOS
 
     $ mvn clean
     $ mvn compile
 
-    NOTE: installing maven for the first time may switch java version from 1.7 to 1.6 causing cassandra to not run
+    NOTE: installing maven for the first time may switch java version
+    from 1.7 to 1.6. This might prevent Cassandra to run.
 
 Dependencies
 ------------
 1. Zookeeper
-    Download and install apache-zookeeper-3.4.5: http://zookeeper.apache.org/releases.html
+    Download and install apache-zookeeper-3.4.5:
+    http://zookeeper.apache.org/releases.html
+
+    Edit file (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/start-zk.sh and set variable "ZK_DIR"
+    to point to the Zookeeper directory.
+
 2. Cassandra
-    Download and install apache-cassandra-1.2.2: http://cassandra.apache.org/download/
+    Download and install apache-cassandra-1.2.4:
+    http://cassandra.apache.org/download/
+
+    Edit file (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/start-cassandra.sh and set variable
+    "CASSANDRA_DIR" to point to the Cassandra directory.
 
 Running ONOS
 ------------
 
-1. Start zookeeper
+1. Start Zookeeper
 
     $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+    $ ./start-zk.sh start
 
-    $ ./start-zk.sh
+    ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
+    $ ./start.zk.sh status
 
-2. Start cassandra
+2. Start Cassandra
 
     $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-
     $ ./start-cassandra.sh start
 
-  1. Confirm cassandra is running
-  
-      $ ./start-cassandra.sh status
+    ## Confirm Cassandra is running:
+    $ ./start-cassandra.sh status
 
-3. Start ONOS instance
+3. Start ONOS
 
     $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-
     $ ./start-onos.sh start
-    
-4. Start ONOS rest apis
 
+    ## Confirm ONOS is running:
+    $ ./start-onos.sh status
+    
+4. Start ONOS REST API server
+
+    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
     $ ./start-rest.sh start
 
+    ## Confirm the REST API server is running:
+    $ ./start-rest.sh status
+
 Running ONOS with Cassandra embedded (Optional)
 -----------------------------------------------
 
 1. Start Zookeeper
 
     $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+    $ ./start-zk.sh start
 
-    $ ./zkServer.sh start
+    ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
+    $ ./start.zk.sh status
     
 2. Start ONOS and Cassandra embedded
 
     $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL_DIR)/
-    
     $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh start
-    
-3. Start ONOS rest apis
 
+    ## Confirm ONOS is running:
+    $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh status
+    
+3. Start ONOS REST API server
+
+    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
     $ ./start-rest.sh start
 
+    ## Confirm the REST API server is running:
+    $ ./start-rest.sh status
+
 
 Running in offline mode (Optional)
 ----------------------------------
 
-Maven is used to build and run ONOS. 
-By default, maven tries to reach the repositories.
-To suppress this behavior '-o' option should be given to `mvn` command.
-
-To give additional option to `mvn` commands used in ONOS, 
-use the MVN environment variable.
+Maven is used to build and run ONOS. By default, maven tries to reach
+the repositories. The '-o' option can be given to the 'mvn' command to
+suppress this behavior. The MVN environmental variable can be used to
+set additional options to the 'mvn' command used in ONOS.
 
 * Example: Running in offline mode
 
     $ env MVN="mvn -o" ./start-onos.sh start
-