diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ba567062e680aa8f28ff8f319b76432383e038f1..9bdb2d98d31ad81bf546535f5be362ef2f369935 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-#Contributing
+# Contributing
 This project follows the normal github workflow.
 
-#Working on a feature or issue
+## Working on a feature or issue
 * Please make a fork of the repository if you do not already have one.
 * Create a branch for the feature/issue with a name like `feature-x` or `issue-#`.
 * Commit your changes to that branch.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8b4768a968dda8eacf74bc1a258948408a3ac56..6a9ce408bc261b1c4e40954886b9f8d676cb3c6e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
-#Planet Red
+# Planet Red
 Planet Red is UNL's implementation of elgg
 
-#Directory Structure
+## Directory Structure
 * elgg - the elgg directory.  Currently a submodule, checked out at 1.8.19
 * vagrant - various vagrant boxes for development/testing.  Use vagrant/dev/ for development
 * plugins - Our custom plugins such as auth and themes that need to be symlinked.  Keeping the plugins out of the elgg directory makes for easy upgrades.
 
-##Setup
+## Setup
 1. Initialize submodules by running `git submodule init` and then `gitsubmodule update`
 
-##Using Vagrant
+## Using Vagrant
 For now, use the dev vagrant box at vagrant/dev/
 1. `cd vagrant/dev/`
 2. `vagrant up`
 3. go to http://localhost:8005 to view the project 
 
-##TODO
+## TODO
 * implement the UNLedu Framework 4.0 theme at plugins/unl_theme
 * implement UNL auth at plugins/cas_auth_unl
 * make sure profile image routes still work
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