diff --git a/src/org/rascalmpl/library/lang/yaml/Model.rsc b/src/org/rascalmpl/library/lang/yaml/Model.rsc
index 6fb6d212af6..cd540308230 100644
--- a/src/org/rascalmpl/library/lang/yaml/Model.rsc
+++ b/src/org/rascalmpl/library/lang/yaml/Model.rsc
@@ -14,25 +14,26 @@ import List;
 import Map;
 import Set;
 
-// Tagging will be used to do typed 
-// serialization for ADTs in the future.
+@synopsis{Generic representation for YAML nodes}
+@description{
+Tagging (using the `\tag` field) will be used to do typed 
+serialization for ADTs in the future.
  
-// in valid YAML anchors always occur before any references
-// this should also hold in our YAML data type 
-// dumping will throw index out of bound exception.
+In valid YAML anchors always occur before any references
+this should also hold in our YAML data type.
+Dumping will throw index out of bound exception if references
+are out of order.
 
-data Node
+Anchors are only currently valid on seq/map nodes.
+and should be unique.
+}
+data Node(int anchor=-1, type[value] \tag = #void)
   = sequence(list[Node] \list)
   | scalar(value \value)
-  | reference(int anchor)
+  | reference()
   | mapping(map[Node, Node] \map)
   ;
   
-// Anchors are only currently valid on seq/map nodes.
-// and should be unique.
-anno int Node@anchor;
-anno type[value] Node@\tag;
-
 private set[type[value]] SUPPORTED_TYPES 
   = {#int, #str, #real, #datetime, #str, #bool, #loc}
   ;
@@ -57,14 +58,14 @@ public str TEST_YAML =
    
 public Node BAD_YAML =
   mapping((
-   scalar(3)[@anchor=3]:
+   scalar(3,anchor=3):
    sequence([
-      scalar("abc")[@\tag=#int],
-      scalar("cde")[@\tag=#str],
-      scalar("unsupported")[@\tag=#node],
-      reference(4),
-      sequence([])[@anchor=4]
-   ])[@anchor=2]))[@anchor=2];
+      scalar("abc", \tag=#int),
+      scalar("cde", \tag=#str),
+      scalar("unsupported")[\tag=#node],
+      reference(anchor=4),
+      sequence([])[anchor=4]
+   ])[@anchor=2]))[anchor=2];
    
 public test bool testLoadDump() {
   Node n = loadYAML(TEST_YAML);
@@ -83,21 +84,21 @@ public set[str] checkYAML(Node n)
   ;
 
 public set[Node] badAnchors(Node n)
-  = { s | /s:scalar(_) <- n, (s@anchor)? }
-  + { r | /r:reference(_) <- n, (r@anchor)? };
+  = { s | /s:scalar(_) <- n, (s.anchor)? }
+  + { r | /r:reference() <- n, (r.anchor)? };
 
 
 public set[Node] wronglyTypedScalars(Node n)
-  = { s | /s:scalar(value v) <- n, s@\tag?, type[&T] t := s@\tag, !okValue(t, v) };
+  = { s | /s:scalar(value v) <- n, s.\tag?, type[&T] t := s.\tag, !okValue(t, v) };
 
 // Doesn't work: always succeeds.
 public bool okValue(type[&T <: value] _, value v) = (&T _ := v);
 
 public set[type[value]] unsupportedTypes(Node n) 
-  = { t | /s:scalar(_) <- n, s@\tag?, type[value] t := s@\tag, t notin SUPPORTED_TYPES };
+  = { t | /s:scalar(_) <- n, s.\tag?, type[value] t := s.\tag, t notin SUPPORTED_TYPES };
 
 public set[Node] untaggedScalars(Node n) 
-  = { s | /s:scalar(_) <- n, !(s@\tag?) }
+  = { s | /s:scalar(_) <- n, !(s.\tag?) }
   ;
 
 public set[int] duplicateAnchors(Node n) {
@@ -105,11 +106,11 @@ public set[int] duplicateAnchors(Node n) {
   duplicate = {};
 
   void record(Node s) {
-   if (!(s@anchor?)) return;
-   if (s@anchor in seen) 
-     duplicate += {s@anchor};
+   if (!(s.anchor?)) return;
+   if (s.anchor in seen) 
+     duplicate += {s.anchor};
    else 
-     seen += {s@anchor};
+     seen += {s.anchor};
   }
   
   visit (n) {
@@ -120,14 +121,14 @@ public set[int] duplicateAnchors(Node n) {
 }
 
 
-public tuple[set[int], set[int]] undefinedRefs(reference(i), set[int] seen, set[int] dupl) 
+public tuple[set[int], set[int]] undefinedRefs(reference(anchor=i), set[int] seen, set[int] dupl) 
   = <seen, dupl + {i}>
   when i notin seen;
   
 public tuple[set[int], set[int]] undefinedRefs(s:sequence(ns), set[int] seen, set[int] dupl) {
   undefs = {};
-  if (s@anchor?) {
-    seen += {s@anchor};
+  if (s.anchor?) {
+    seen += {s.anchor};
   }
   for (n <- ns) 
     <seen, dupl> = undefinedRefs(n, seen, dupl);
@@ -136,8 +137,8 @@ public tuple[set[int], set[int]] undefinedRefs(s:sequence(ns), set[int] seen, se
 
 public tuple[set[int], set[int]] undefinedRefs(nod:mapping(m), set[int] seen, set[int] dupl) {
   undefs = {};
-  if (nod@anchor?) {
-    seen += {nod@anchor};
+  if (nod.anchor?) {
+    seen += {nod.anchor};
   }
   for (Node n <- m) {
     <seen, dupl> = undefinedRefs(n, seen, dupl);
@@ -155,9 +156,9 @@ bool equalNodes(Node x, Node y) {
      m = ();
      visit (n) {
        case s:sequence(_): 
-          if (s@anchor?) m[s@anchor] = s;
+          if (s.anchor?) m[s.anchor] = s;
        case mp:mapping(_): 
-          if (mp@anchor?) m[mp@anchor] = mp;
+          if (mp.anchor?) m[mp.anchor] = mp;
      }
      return m;
    }
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ bool equalNodes(Node x, Node y) {
 	       case <scalar(v1), scalar(v2)>:
 	         return v1 == v2;
 	     
-	       case <reference(r1), reference(r2)>: {
+	       case <reference(anchor=r1), reference(anchor=r2)>: {
 	         if (r1 in matching, matching[r1] == r2) {
 	           return true; // avoid infinite loop;
 	         }