diff --git a/git/novice/01-backup.md b/git/novice/01-backup.md
index da8984b73..f4d792f85 100644
--- a/git/novice/01-backup.md
+++ b/git/novice/01-backup.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ $ cd planets
 and tell Git to make it a [repository](../gloss.html#repository):
 
 ```
-$ git init .
+$ git init
 ```
 
 If we use `ls` to show the directory's contents,
diff --git a/git/novice/reference.md b/git/novice/reference.md
index d718d8e27..1f8ef6191 100644
--- a/git/novice/reference.md
+++ b/git/novice/reference.md
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ Set global configuration (only needs to be done once per machine):
     git config --global color.ui "auto"
     git config --global core.editor "your_editor"
 
-Initialize a directory as a repository:
+Initialize the current working directory as a repository:
 
-    git init .
+    git init
 
 Display the status of the repository:
 
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ Add specific files to the staging area:
 
     git add filename_1 filename_2
 
-Add all modified files to the staging area:
+Add all modified files in the current directory and its sub-directories to the staging area:
 
-    git add -A
+    git add -A .
 
 Commit changes in the staging area to the repository's history:
 (Without `-m` and a message, this command runs a text editor.)
diff --git a/lessons/swc-git/tutorial.md b/lessons/swc-git/tutorial.md
index 5c8ded00f..32ccb5034 100644
--- a/lessons/swc-git/tutorial.md
+++ b/lessons/swc-git/tutorial.md
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ $ cd planets
 and tell Git to initialize it:
 
 ```
-$ git init .
+$ git init
 ```
 
 If we use `ls` to show the directory's contents,
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ Let's add and commit those changes
 (the `-A` flag to `git add` means "add everything"):
 
 ```
-$ git add -A
+$ git add -A .
 $ git status
 # On branch moons
 # Changes to be committed: