diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b71b9aa..9f2c040 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@
 
 0. Install custom jars and dependencies (needs to be run only once)
 
-    $ ./setup-local-maven.sh
+        $ ./setup-local-maven.sh
 
 1. Cleanly build ONOS
 
-    $ mvn clean
-    $ mvn compile
+        $ mvn clean
+        $ mvn compile
 
     NOTE: installing maven for the first time may switch java version
     from 1.7 to 1.6. This might prevent Cassandra to run.
@@ -28,17 +28,19 @@
 Dependencies
 ------------
 1. Zookeeper
+
     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"
+    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-1.2.4:
     http://cassandra.apache.org/download/
 
-    Edit file (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/start-cassandra.sh and set variable
+    Edit file `(ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/start-cassandra.sh` and set variable
     "CASSANDRA_DIR" to point to the Cassandra directory.
 
 Running ONOS with Cassandra as a separate process
@@ -47,62 +49,62 @@
 
 1. Start Zookeeper
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-    $ ./start-zk.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-zk.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
-    $ ./start.zk.sh status
+        ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
+        $ ./start.zk.sh status
 
 2. Start Cassandra
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-    $ ./start-cassandra.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-cassandra.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm Cassandra is running:
-    $ ./start-cassandra.sh status
+        ## Confirm Cassandra is running:
+        $ ./start-cassandra.sh status
 
 3. Start ONOS
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-    $ ./start-onos.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-onos.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm ONOS is running:
-    $ ./start-onos.sh status
-    
+        ## Confirm ONOS is running:
+        $ ./start-onos.sh status
+
 4. Start ONOS REST API server
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-    $ ./start-rest.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-rest.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm the REST API server is running:
-    $ ./start-rest.sh status
+        ## 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
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-zk.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
-    $ ./start.zk.sh status
-    
+        ## Confirm Zookeeper is running:
+        $ ./start.zk.sh status
+
 2. Start ONOS and Cassandra embedded
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL_DIR)/
-    $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL_DIR)/
+        $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm ONOS is running:
-    $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh status
-    
+        ## Confirm ONOS is running:
+        $ ./start-onos-embedded.sh status
+
 3. Start ONOS REST API server
 
-    $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
-    $ ./start-rest.sh start
+        $ cd (ONOS-INSTALL-DIR)/
+        $ ./start-rest.sh start
 
-    ## Confirm the REST API server is running:
-    $ ./start-rest.sh status
+        ## Confirm the REST API server is running:
+        $ ./start-rest.sh status
 
 
 Running in offline mode (Optional)
@@ -110,9 +112,9 @@
 
 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
+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
+        $ env MVN="mvn -o" ./start-onos.sh start