diff --git a/example_test.go b/example_test.go
index 4321f14..dff2855 100644
--- a/example_test.go
+++ b/example_test.go
@@ -2,41 +2,19 @@ package jwt_test
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"time"
-
 	"github.com/dgrijalva/jwt-go"
 )
 
-func ExampleParse(myToken string, myLookupKey func(interface{}) (interface{}, error)) {
-	token, err := jwt.Parse(myToken, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
-		return myLookupKey(token.Header["kid"])
-	})
-
-	if err == nil && token.Valid {
-		fmt.Println("Your token is valid.  I like your style.")
-	} else {
-		fmt.Println("This token is terrible!  I cannot accept this.")
-	}
-}
-
-func ExampleNew() {
-	// Create the token
-	token := jwt.New(jwt.SigningMethodRS256)
-
-	// Set some claims
-	claims := token.Claims.(jwt.MapClaims)
-	claims["foo"] = "bar"
-	claims["exp"] = time.Unix(0, 0).Add(time.Hour * 1).Unix()
-
-	fmt.Printf("<%T> foo:%v exp:%v\n", token.Claims, claims["foo"], claims["exp"])
-	//Output: <jwt.MapClaims> foo:bar exp:3600
-}
-
-func ExampleNewWithClaims() {
+// Example (atypical) using the StandardClaims type by itself to parse a token.
+// The StandardClaims type is designed to be embedded into your custom types
+// to provide standard validation features.  You can use it alone, but there's
+// no way to retrieve other fields after parsing.
+// See the CustomClaimsType example for intended usage.
+func ExampleNewWithClaims_standardClaims() {
 	mySigningKey := []byte("AllYourBase")
 
 	// Create the Claims
-	claims := jwt.StandardClaims{
+	claims := &jwt.StandardClaims{
 		ExpiresAt: 15000,
 		Issuer:    "test",
 	}
@@ -47,7 +25,9 @@ func ExampleNewWithClaims() {
 	//Output: eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJleHAiOjE1MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJ0ZXN0In0.QsODzZu3lUZMVdhbO76u3Jv02iYCvEHcYVUI1kOWEU0 <nil>
 }
 
-func ExampleNewWithClaims_customType() {
+// Example parsing a token using a custom claims type.  The StandardClaim is embedded
+// in the custom type to allow for easy encoding, parsing and validation of standard claims.
+func ExampleNewWithClaims_customClaimsType() {
 	mySigningKey := []byte("AllYourBase")
 
 	type MyCustomClaims struct {
@@ -70,9 +50,13 @@ func ExampleNewWithClaims_customType() {
 	//Output: eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmb28iOiJiYXIiLCJleHAiOjE1MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJ0ZXN0In0.HE7fK0xOQwFEr4WDgRWj4teRPZ6i3GLwD5YCm6Pwu_c <nil>
 }
 
-func ExampleParse_errorChecking(myToken string, myLookupKey func(interface{}) (interface{}, error)) {
-	token, err := jwt.Parse(myToken, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
-		return myLookupKey(token.Header["kid"])
+// An example of parsing the error types using bitfield checks
+func ExampleParse_errorChecking() {
+	// Token from another example.  This token is expired
+	var tokenString = "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmb28iOiJiYXIiLCJleHAiOjE1MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJ0ZXN0In0.HE7fK0xOQwFEr4WDgRWj4teRPZ6i3GLwD5YCm6Pwu_c"
+
+	token, err := jwt.Parse(tokenString, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
+		return []byte("AllYourBase"), nil
 	})
 
 	if token.Valid {
@@ -90,4 +74,5 @@ func ExampleParse_errorChecking(myToken string, myLookupKey func(interface{}) (i
 		fmt.Println("Couldn't handle this token:", err)
 	}
 
+	// Output: Timing is everything
 }
diff --git a/hmac_example_test.go b/hmac_example_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8d2fc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hmac_example_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package jwt_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/dgrijalva/jwt-go"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// For HMAC signing method, the key can be any []byte. It is recommended to generate
+// a key using crypto/rand or something equivalent. You need the same key for signing
+// and validating.
+var hmacSampleSecret []byte
+
+func init() {
+	// Load sample key data
+	if keyData, e := ioutil.ReadFile("test/hmacTestKey"); e == nil {
+		hmacSampleSecret = keyData
+	} else {
+		panic(e)
+	}
+}
+
+// Example creating, signing, and encoding a JWT token using the HMAC signing method
+func ExampleNew_hmac() {
+	// Create a new token object, specifying signing method and the claims
+	// you would like it to contain.
+	token := jwt.NewWithClaims(jwt.SigningMethodHS256, jwt.MapClaims{
+		"foo": "bar",
+		"nbf": time.Date(2015, 10, 10, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC).Unix(),
+	})
+
+	// Sign and get the complete encoded token as a string using the secret
+	tokenString, err := token.SignedString(hmacSampleSecret)
+
+	fmt.Println(tokenString, err)
+	// Output: eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmb28iOiJiYXIiLCJuYmYiOjE0NDQ0Nzg0MDB9.u1riaD1rW97opCoAuRCTy4w58Br-Zk-bh7vLiRIsrpU <nil>
+}
+
+// Example parsing and validating a token using the HMAC signing method
+func ExampleParse_hmac() {
+	// sample token string taken from the New example
+	tokenString := "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmb28iOiJiYXIiLCJuYmYiOjE0NDQ0Nzg0MDB9.u1riaD1rW97opCoAuRCTy4w58Br-Zk-bh7vLiRIsrpU"
+
+	// Parse takes the token string and a function for looking up the key. The latter is especially
+	// useful if you use multiple keys for your application.  The standard is to use 'kid' in the
+	// head of the token to identify which key to use, but the parsed token (head and claims) is provided
+	// to the callback, providing flexibility.
+	token, err := jwt.Parse(tokenString, func(token *jwt.Token) (interface{}, error) {
+		// Don't forget to validate the alg is what you expect:
+		if _, ok := token.Method.(*jwt.SigningMethodHMAC); !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected signing method: %v", token.Header["alg"])
+		}
+		return hmacSampleSecret, nil
+	})
+
+	if claims, ok := token.Claims.(*jwt.MapClaims); ok && token.Valid {
+		fmt.Println((*claims)["foo"], (*claims)["nbf"])
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+	}
+
+	// Output: bar 1.4444784e+09
+}