diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
index d92e687fec..cb53668ed8 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ class XMLModuleStore(ModuleStoreReadBase):
         """
         return CourseLocator(org, course, run, deprecated=True)
 
-    def get_courses(self, depth=0, **kwargs):
+    def get_courses(self, **kwargs):
         """
         Returns a list of course descriptors.  If there were errors on loading,
         some of these may be ErrorDescriptors instead.
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
index 4cb5384137..09d1ff7cd8 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/bulk_email/tasks.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ BULK_EMAIL_FAILURE_ERRORS = (
 )
 
 
-def _get_recipient_queryset(user_id, to_option, course_id, course_location):
+def _get_recipient_queryset(user_id, to_option, course_id):
     """
     Returns a query set of email recipients corresponding to the requested to_option category.
 
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ def perform_delegate_email_batches(entry_id, course_id, task_input, action_name)
         )
         return new_subtask
 
-    recipient_qset = _get_recipient_queryset(user_id, to_option, course_id, course.location)
+    recipient_qset = _get_recipient_queryset(user_id, to_option, course_id)
     recipient_fields = ['profile__name', 'email']
 
     log.info(u"Task %s: Preparing to queue subtasks for sending emails for course %s, email %s, to_option %s",
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/circuit/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/circuit/views.py
index 5af9ce1b44..3e8a39cb43 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/circuit/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/circuit/views.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def circuit_line(circuit):
     return xml.etree.ElementTree.tostring(circuit_line)
 
 
-def edit_circuit(request, circuit):
+def edit_circuit(_request, circuit):
     try:
         sc = ServerCircuit.objects.get(name=circuit)
     except:
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/access.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/access.py
index 8d0ce1a7ca..484c53f347 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/access.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/access.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def has_access(user, action, obj, course_key=None):
         return _has_access_location(user, action, obj, course_key)
 
     if isinstance(obj, basestring):
-        return _has_access_string(user, action, obj, course_key)
+        return _has_access_string(user, action, obj)
 
     # Passing an unknown object here is a coding error, so rather than
     # returning a default, complain.
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ def _has_access_course_key(user, action, course_key):
     return _dispatch(checkers, action, user, course_key)
 
 
-def _has_access_string(user, action, perm, course_key):
+def _has_access_string(user, action, perm):
     """
     Check if user has certain special access, specified as string.  Valid strings:
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/clean_xml.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/clean_xml.py
index 2e87fc5cdf..1b576c264b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/clean_xml.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/management/commands/clean_xml.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def export(course, export_dir):
     return False
 
 
-def import_with_checks(course_dir, verbose=True):
+def import_with_checks(course_dir):
     all_ok = True
 
     print "Attempting to load '{0}'".format(course_dir)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/middleware.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/middleware.py
index 60b803601a..c7f3218199 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/middleware.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/middleware.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class RedirectUnenrolledMiddleware(object):
     Catch UserNotEnrolled errors thrown by `get_course_with_access` and redirect
     users to the course about page
     """
-    def process_exception(self, request, exception):
+    def process_exception(self, _request, exception):
         if isinstance(exception, UserNotEnrolled):
             course_key = exception.course_key
             return redirect(
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_access.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_access.py
index fe0295819e..bf0daeb872 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_access.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_access.py
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ class AccessTestCase(LoginEnrollmentTestCase, ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
     def test__has_access_string(self):
         user = Mock(is_staff=True)
-        self.assertFalse(access._has_access_string(user, 'staff', 'not_global', self.course.course_key))
+        self.assertFalse(access._has_access_string(user, 'staff', 'not_global'))
 
         user._has_global_staff_access.return_value = True
-        self.assertTrue(access._has_access_string(user, 'staff', 'global', self.course.course_key))
+        self.assertTrue(access._has_access_string(user, 'staff', 'global'))
 
-        self.assertRaises(ValueError, access._has_access_string, user, 'not_staff', 'global', self.course.course_key)
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, access._has_access_string, user, 'not_staff', 'global')
 
     def test__has_access_error_desc(self):
         descriptor = Mock()
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
index b69c5c7fbd..cb7aa58fb0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ def jump_to_id(request, course_id, module_id):
 
 
 @ensure_csrf_cookie
-def jump_to(request, course_id, location):
+def jump_to(_request, course_id, location):
     """
     Show the page that contains a specific location.
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/notes/api.py b/lms/djangoapps/notes/api.py
index 657e97f92e..920229edaf 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/notes/api.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/notes/api.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def create(request, course_key):
     return ApiResponse(http_response=response, data=None)
 
 
-def read(request, course_key, note_id):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument (course_key)
+def read(request, _course_key, note_id):
     '''
     Returns a single annotation object.
     '''