diff --git a/include/aspect/boundary_traction/ascii_data.h b/include/aspect/boundary_traction/ascii_data.h
index fdcbbec7f38..2a6af856b33 100644
--- a/include/aspect/boundary_traction/ascii_data.h
+++ b/include/aspect/boundary_traction/ascii_data.h
@@ -95,10 +95,7 @@ namespace aspect
         update () override;
 
         /**
-         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files. The
-         * default implementation of this function does not describe any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
          */
         static
         void
@@ -106,9 +103,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
         /**
          * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
-         * The default implementation of this function does not read any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
          */
         void
         parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;
diff --git a/include/aspect/geometry_model/spherical_shell.h b/include/aspect/geometry_model/spherical_shell.h
index 87d5a8658c5..8a6b694b4bf 100644
--- a/include/aspect/geometry_model/spherical_shell.h
+++ b/include/aspect/geometry_model/spherical_shell.h
@@ -329,10 +329,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
 
         /**
-         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files. The
-         * default implementation of this function does not describe any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
          */
         static
         void
@@ -340,9 +337,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
         /**
          * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
-         * The default implementation of this function does not read any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
          */
         void
         parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;
diff --git a/include/aspect/gravity_model/ascii_data.h b/include/aspect/gravity_model/ascii_data.h
index 032162102f5..24fadf2ffc6 100644
--- a/include/aspect/gravity_model/ascii_data.h
+++ b/include/aspect/gravity_model/ascii_data.h
@@ -61,10 +61,7 @@ namespace aspect
         Tensor<1,dim> gravity_vector (const Point<dim> &position) const override;
 
         /**
-         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files. The
-         * default implementation of this function does not describe any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
          */
         static
         void
@@ -72,9 +69,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
         /**
          * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
-         * The default implementation of this function does not read any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
          */
         void
         parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;
diff --git a/include/aspect/initial_composition/world_builder.h b/include/aspect/initial_composition/world_builder.h
index ab54e4bdae1..ea02418c030 100644
--- a/include/aspect/initial_composition/world_builder.h
+++ b/include/aspect/initial_composition/world_builder.h
@@ -65,10 +65,7 @@ namespace aspect
         double initial_composition (const Point<dim> &position, const unsigned int n_comp) const override;
 
         /**
-         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files. The
-         * default implementation of this function does not describe any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
          */
         static
         void
@@ -76,9 +73,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
         /**
          * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
-         * The default implementation of this function does not read any
-         * parameters. Consequently, derived classes do not have to overload
-         * this function if they do not take any runtime parameters.
          */
         void
         parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;