diff -u b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
--- b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -1568,16 +1568,16 @@
  *   NULL if message is already translated or not possible to
  *   translate.
  * @param $severity
- *   One of the following values as defined in
- *   @link http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3164.html RFC 3164 @endlink
- *     - WATCHDOG_EMERGENCY: Emergency, system is unusable.
- *     - WATCHDOG_ALERT: Alert, action must be taken immediately.
- *     - WATCHDOG_CRITICAL: Critical conditions.
- *     - WATCHDOG_ERROR: Error conditions.
- *     - WATCHDOG_WARNING: Warning conditions.
- *     - WATCHDOG_NOTICE: Normal but significant conditions.
- *     - WATCHDOG_INFO: Informational messages.
- *     - WATCHDOG_DEBUG: Debug-level messages.
+ *   The severity of the message; one of the following values as defined in
+ *   @link http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3164.html RFC 3164: @endlink
+ *   - WATCHDOG_EMERGENCY: Emergency, system is unusable.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_ALERT: Alert, action must be taken immediately.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_CRITICAL: Critical conditions.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_ERROR: Error conditions.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_WARNING: Warning conditions.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_NOTICE: (default) Normal but significant conditions.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_INFO: Informational messages.
+ *   - WATCHDOG_DEBUG: Debug-level messages.
  * @param $link
  *   A link to associate with the message.
  *
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.api.php b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
--- b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
@@ -1949,8 +1949,8 @@
  *     occurred.
  *   - ip: The IP address where the request for the page came from.
  *   - timestamp: The UNIX timestamp of the date/time the event occurred.
- *   - severity: One of the following values as defined in
- *     @link http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3164.html RFC 3164 @endlink
+ *   - severity: The severity of the message; one of the following values as
+ *     defined in @link http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3164.html RFC 3164: @endlink
  *     - WATCHDOG_EMERGENCY: Emergency, system is unusable.
  *     - WATCHDOG_ALERT: Alert, action must be taken immediately.
  *     - WATCHDOG_CRITICAL: Critical conditions.