diff --git a/framework/auth/core.py b/framework/auth/core.py
index 8bd15ed6eaf3..2331cf5ae565 100644
--- a/framework/auth/core.py
+++ b/framework/auth/core.py
@@ -125,13 +125,13 @@ def get_user(email=None, password=None, token=None, external_id_provider=None, e
     1. email
     2. email and password
     3  token
-    4. oauth_provider and oauth_id
+    4. external_id_provider and external_id
 
     :param token: the token in verification key
     :param email: user's email
     :param password: user's password
-    :param external_id_provider: the oauth provider
-    :param external_id: the oauth id
+    :param external_id_provider: the external identity provider
+    :param external_id: the external id
     :rtype User or None
     """
 
@@ -294,14 +294,14 @@ class User(GuidStoredObject, AddonModelMixin):
     is_invited = fields.BooleanField(default=False, index=True)
 
     # Per-project unclaimed user data:
-    # TODO: add a validation function that ensures that all required keys are present in the input values for that field
+    # TODO: add validation
     unclaimed_records = fields.DictionaryField(required=False)
     # Format: {
     #   <project_id>: {
     #       'name': <name that referrer provided>,
     #       'referrer_id': <user ID of referrer>,
-    #       'token': <verification key v1, used for verification urls>,
-    #       'expires': <expiration time for this record>,
+    #       'token': <verification token>,
+    #       'expires': <verification expiration time>,
     #       'email': <email the referrer provided or None>,
     #       'claimer_email': <email the claimer entered or None>,
     #       'last_sent': <timestamp of last email sent to referrer or None>
@@ -322,13 +322,15 @@ class User(GuidStoredObject, AddonModelMixin):
     merged_by = fields.ForeignField('user', default=None, index=True)
 
     # verification key v1: only the token string, no expiration time
+    # used for cas login with username and verification key
     verification_key = fields.StringField()
 
     # verification key v2: token, and expiration time
+    # used for password reset, confirm account/email, claim account/contributor-ship
     verification_key_v2 = fields.DictionaryField(default=dict)
     # Format: {
-    #   'token': <the verification key string>
-    #   'expires': <the expiration time for the key>
+    #   'token': <verification token>
+    #   'expires': <verification expiration time>
     # }
 
     email_last_sent = fields.DateTimeField()
diff --git a/tests/webtest_tests.py b/tests/webtest_tests.py
index 6e285797e469..a89cf4572aa7 100644
--- a/tests/webtest_tests.py
+++ b/tests/webtest_tests.py
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.user.verification_key_v2 = {}
         self.user.save()
 
-    # log user out before land on forgot password page
+    # log users out before they land on forgot password page
     def test_forgot_password_logs_out_user(self):
         # visit forgot password link while another user is logged in
         res = self.app.get(self.get_url, auth=self.auth_user.auth)
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ def test_can_reset_password_if_form_success(self, mock_service_validate):
         cas.make_response_from_ticket(ticket, service_url)
         assert_equal(self.user.verification_key, None)
 
-    #  log user out before land on reset password page
+    #  log users out before they land on reset password page
     def test_reset_password_logs_out_user(self):
         # visit reset password link while another user is logged in
         res = self.app.get(self.get_url, auth=self.another_user.auth)
diff --git a/website/project/views/contributor.py b/website/project/views/contributor.py
index 7f26b65452aa..3d13bf2dca1a 100644
--- a/website/project/views/contributor.py
+++ b/website/project/views/contributor.py
@@ -768,10 +768,10 @@ def claim_user_post(node, **kwargs):
         claimer = get_user(email=email)
         # registered user
         if claimer and claimer.is_registered:
-            send_claim_registered_email(claimer=claimer, unclaimed_user=unclaimed_user, node=node)
+            send_claim_registered_email(claimer, unclaimed_user, node)
         # unregistered user
         else:
-            send_claim_email(email=email, unclaimed_user=unclaimed_user, node=node, notify=True)
+            send_claim_email(email, unclaimed_user, node, notify=True)
     # Claimer is logged in with confirmed identity stored in `request_data['claimerId']`
     elif 'claimerId' in request_data:
         claimer_id = request_data['claimerId']
diff --git a/website/settings/defaults.py b/website/settings/defaults.py
index 0ff27e96d8ed..87d3874f236c 100644
--- a/website/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/website/settings/defaults.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def parent_dir(path):
 EXPIRATION_TIME_DICT = {
     'password': 30,         # 30 minutes for forgot and reset password
     'confirm': 24 * 60,     # 24 hours in minutes for confirm account and email
-    'claim': 7 * 24 * 60    # 7 days in minutes for claim contributor-ship
+    'claim': 30 * 24 * 60   # 30 days in minutes for claim contributor-ship
 }
 
 CITATION_STYLES_PATH = os.path.join(BASE_PATH, 'static', 'vendor', 'bower_components', 'styles')