diff --git a/pyquil/api/qvm.py b/pyquil/api/qvm.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/pyquil/api/qvm.py
+++ b/pyquil/api/qvm.py
@@ -319,9 +319,16 @@ programs run on this QVM.
             sample. The expectations returned from *different* ``expectation`` calls *will then
             generally be different*.
 
+        To measure the expectation of a PauliSum, you probably want to
+        do something like this::
+
+                progs, coefs = hamiltonian.get_programs()
+                expect_coeffs = np.array(cxn.expectation(prep_program, operator_programs=progs))
+                return np.real_if_close(np.dot(coefs, expect_coeffs))
+
         :param Program prep_prog: Quil program for state preparation.
         :param list operator_programs: A list of Programs, each specifying an operator whose expectation to compute.
-         Default is a list containing only the empty Program.
+            Default is a list containing only the empty Program.
         :param bool needs_compilation: If True, preprocesses the job with the compiler.
         :param ISA isa: If set, compiles to this target ISA.
         :returns: Expectation value of the operators.
Improve expectation docs (#<I>)

See #<I>