diff --git a/R/marginal_model.R b/R/marginal_model.R
index b22248e3f..3dad21d62 100644
--- a/R/marginal_model.R
+++ b/R/marginal_model.R
@@ -18,8 +18,44 @@ as_epidist_marginal_model <- function(data, ...) {
 #'   Default is 2.
 #' @param weight A column name to use for weighting the data in the
 #'   likelihood. Default is NULL. Internally this is used to define the 'n'
-#'   column of the returned object.
+#'   column of the returned object. See details.
+#'   column of the returned object. See details.
 #' @param ... Not used in this method.
+#' @details To ensure efficient computation, the model automatically
+#' identifies groups of individuals in the data that contribute identically
+#' to the likelihood, and evaluates the likelihood at the group level. Groups
+#' are defined by unique combinations of: {ptime_upr, stime_upr, stime_lwr,
+#' relative_obs_time, pwindow, swindow, and other_vars}, where the first six
+#' fields are defined by `as_epidist_linelist_data()`,
+#' and where `other_vars` includes other variables used in the model forumla,
+#' (e.g. age, sex, or location).
+#'
+#' The `weight` option can be used for convenience when working with data that
+#' contain too many individuals to represent easily in linelist format. For
+#' example, `prepped` and `prepped_weighted` would be
+#' interpreted identically by epidist():
+#'
+#' ```
+#' ## Prep as a linelist
+#' prepped <- linelist |>
+#'   as_epidist_linelist_data() |>
+#'   as_epidist_marginal_model()
+#' ```
+#'
+#' or
+#'
+#' ```
+#' ## Aggregate by relevant variables
+#' prepped_weighted <- linelist |>
+#'  as_epidist_linelist_data() |>
+#'  # summarise by unique combinations of variables
+#'   group_by(ptime_upr, stime_upr, stime_lwr,
+#'            relative_obs_time, pwindow, swindow,
+#'            other_vars) |>
+#' summarise(n = n()) |>
+#' # prep with weight option
+#' as_epidist_marginal_model(weight = "n")
+#' ```
 #' @method as_epidist_marginal_model epidist_linelist_data
 #' @family marginal_model
 #' @autoglobal
diff --git a/man/as_epidist_marginal_model.epidist_linelist_data.Rd b/man/as_epidist_marginal_model.epidist_linelist_data.Rd
index 063f80d82..fe3d81b54 100644
--- a/man/as_epidist_marginal_model.epidist_linelist_data.Rd
+++ b/man/as_epidist_marginal_model.epidist_linelist_data.Rd
@@ -17,13 +17,48 @@ Default is 2.}
 
 \item{weight}{A column name to use for weighting the data in the
 likelihood. Default is NULL. Internally this is used to define the 'n'
-column of the returned object.}
+column of the returned object. See details.}
 
 \item{...}{Not used in this method.}
 }
 \description{
 The marginal model method for \code{epidist_linelist_data} objects
 }
+\details{
+To ensure efficient computation, the model automatically
+identifies groups of individuals in the data that contribute identically
+to the likelihood, and evaluates the likelihood at the group level. Groups
+are defined by unique combinations of: {ptime_upr, stime_upr, stime_lwr,
+relative_obs_time, pwindow, swindow, and other_vars}, where the first six
+fields are defined by \code{as_epidist_linelist_data()} (see also the \href{linelihttps://epidist.epinowcast.org/dev/articles/epidist.html#data}{getting started vignette}), # nolint
+and where \code{other_vars} includes other variables used in the model forumla,
+(e.g. age, sex, or location).
+
+The \code{weight} option can be used for convenience when working with data that
+contain too many individuals to represent easily in linelist format. For
+example, \code{prepped} and \code{prepped_weighted} would be
+interpreted identically by epidist():
+
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="sourceCode">}}\preformatted{## Prep as a linelist
+prepped <- linelist |>
+  as_epidist_linelist_data() |>
+  as_epidist_marginal_model(linelist)
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+
+or
+
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="sourceCode">}}\preformatted{## Aggregate by relevant variables
+prepped_weighted <- linelist |>
+ as_epidist_linelist_data() |>
+ # summarise by unique combinations of variables
+  group_by(ptime_upr, stime_upr, stime_lwr,
+           relative_obs_time, pwindow, swindow,
+           other_vars) |>
+summarise(n = n())
+# prep with weight option
+as_epidist_marginal_model(linelist, weight = "n")
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
 \seealso{
 Other marginal_model: 
 \code{\link{as_epidist_marginal_model}()},