diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index e347150..14a0ff2 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -24,5 +24,7 @@ This is a discussion page to help the developers get started soon.
 
 * Please develop against the [dev](https://github.com/Emory-HITI/Niffler/tree/dev) branch. New contributors are encouraged to submit pull requests, rather than directly committing even when you have committer access. Another developer can then review and merge your pull request.
 
+* The pull request should be minimal. Avoid including irrelevant changes in your pull request -- for example, unused library imports, line break changes, adding/removing new lines that interpret an unchanged code segment as changed. Inclusion of irrelevant changes in your pull request dilutes your actual contribution, and make it hard for the developers to merge and review. Please check with a "git diff" before committing your changes, to avoid such additions. 
+
 * Some important requests for enhancements are tracked in the [bug tracker](https://github.com/Emory-HITI/Niffler/issues).