diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fbd52db..5e40eab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,14 +2,33 @@
 
 Uses [pg-ipfs-ethdb](https://github.com/vulcanize/pg-ipfs-ethdb) to validate completeness of Ethereum state data on PG-IPFS
 
+## Background
+
+State data on Ethereum is stored in the form of [Modified Merkle Patricia Tries](https://eth.wiki/en/fundamentals/patricia-tree).
+To prove the existence of a specific node in an MMPT with a known root hash, one provides a list of all of the nodes along the path descending
+from the root node to the node in question. To validate the completeness of a state database- to confirm every node for a state and/or storage trie(s) is present
+in a database- requires traversing the entire trie (or linked set of tries) and confirming the presence of every node in the database.
+
+
 ## Usage
 
-Run
 
-`./eth-ipfs-state-validator validateTrie --root={state root string} --config={path to .toml config file} `
+`full` validates completeness of the entire state corresponding to a provided state root, including both state and storage tries
 
-With `root` as the state root hash we want to validate the corresponding trie for.
-The config file holds the parameters for connecting to the IPFS-backing Postgres database.
+`./eth-ipfs-state-validator validateTrie --config={path to db config} --type=full --state-root={state root hex string}`
+
+
+`state` validates completeness of the state trie corresponding to a provided state root, excluding the storage tries
+
+`./eth-ipfs-state-validator validateTrie --config={path to db config} --type=state --state-root={state root hex string}`
+
+
+`storage` validates completeness of only the storage trie corresponding to a provided storage root and contract address
+
+`./eth-ipfs-state-validator validateTrie --config={path to db config} --type=storage --storage-root={state root hex string} --address={contract address hex string}`
+
+
+The config file holds the parameters for connecting to an [IPFS-backing Postgres database](https://github.com/ipfs/go-ds-sql).
 
 ```toml
 [database]
@@ -18,4 +37,17 @@ The config file holds the parameters for connecting to the IPFS-backing Postgres
     user     = "postgres"
     password = ""
     port     = 5432
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
+
+## Maintainers
+@vulcanize
+@AFDudley
+@i-norden
+
+## Contributing
+Contributions are welcome!
+
+VulcanizeDB follows the [Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/1/4/code-of-conduct).
+
+## License
+[AGPL-3.0](LICENSE) © Vulcanize Inc
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