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<qhelp>

<overview>

<p> Normal methods should have at least one parameter and the first parameter should be called <code>self</code>.

</p>

</overview>

<recommendation>

<p>Ensure that the first parameter of a normal method is named <code>self</code>, as recommended by the style guidelines

in PEP 8.</p>

<p>If a <code>self</code> parameter is unneeded, the method should be decorated with <code>staticmethod</code>, or moved out of the class as a regular function.

</p>

</recommendation>

<example>

<p>In the following cases, the first argument of <code>Point.__init__</code> is named <code>val</code> instead; whereas in <code>Point2.__init__</code> it is correctly named <code>self</code>.</p>

<sample src="NonSelf.py" />

</example>

<references>

<li>Python PEP 8: <a href="http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/#function-and-method-arguments">Function and

method arguments</a>.</li>

<li>Python Tutorial: <a href="http://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/classes.html">Classes</a>.</li>

<li>Python Docs: <a href="https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#staticmethod">staticmethod</a>.</li>

</references>

</qhelp>