diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 606cbcd9..427d3e67 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -242,17 +242,17 @@ necessary.
   </p>
   <pre>const yarray = new Y.Array()</pre>
   <dl>
-    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;):Y.Array</code></b>
     <dd>
 Insert content at <var>index</var>. Note that content is an array of elements.
 I.e. <code>array.insert(0, [1])</code> splices the list and inserts 1 at
 position 0.
     </dd>
-    <b><code>push(Array&lt;Object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>push(Array&lt;Object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;):Y.Array</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>unshift(Array&lt;Object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>unshift(Array&lt;Object|boolean|Array|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type&gt;):Y.Array</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number)</code></b>
+    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number):Y.Array</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>get(index:number)</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
@@ -313,9 +313,9 @@ or any of its children.
   <dl>
     <b><code>get(key:string):object|boolean|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>set(key:string, value:object|boolean|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type)</code></b>
+    <b><code>set(key:string, value:object|boolean|string|number|Uint8Array|Y.Type):Y.Map</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>delete(key:string)</code></b>
+    <b><code>delete(key:string):Y.Map</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>has(key:string):boolean</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
@@ -388,14 +388,14 @@ YTextEvents compute changes as deltas.
   </p>
   <pre>const ytext = new Y.Text()</pre>
   <dl>
-    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:string, [formattingAttributes:Object&lt;string,string&gt;])</code></b>
+    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:string, [formattingAttributes:Object&lt;string,string&gt;]):Y.Text</code></b>
     <dd>
       Insert a string at <var>index</var> and assign formatting attributes to it.
       <pre>ytext.insert(0, 'bold text', { bold: true })</pre>
     </dd>
-    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number)</code></b>
+    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number):Y.Text</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>format(index:number, length:number, formattingAttributes:Object&lt;string,string&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>format(index:number, length:number, formattingAttributes:Object&lt;string,string&gt;):Y.Text</code></b>
     <dd>Assign formatting attributes to a range in the text</dd>
     <b><code>applyDelta(delta, opts:Object&lt;string,any&gt;)</code></b>
     <dd>
@@ -446,9 +446,9 @@ or any of its children.
   </p>
   <pre><code>const yxml = new Y.XmlFragment()</code></pre>
   <dl>
-    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;Y.XmlElement|Y.XmlText&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;Y.XmlElement|Y.XmlText&gt;):Y.XmlFragment</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number)</code></b>
+    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number):Y.XmlFragment</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>get(index:number)</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
@@ -497,17 +497,17 @@ content and be actually XML compliant.
   </p>
   <pre><code>const yxml = new Y.XmlElement()</code></pre>
   <dl>
-    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;Y.XmlElement|Y.XmlText&gt;)</code></b>
+    <b><code>insert(index:number, content:Array&lt;Y.XmlElement|Y.XmlText&gt;):Y.XmlElement</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number)</code></b>
+    <b><code>delete(index:number, length:number):Y.XmlElement</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>get(index:number)</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>length:number</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>setAttribute(attributeName:string, attributeValue:string)</code></b>
+    <b><code>setAttribute(attributeName:string, attributeValue:string):Y.XmlElement</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
-    <b><code>removeAttribute(attributeName:string)</code></b>
+    <b><code>removeAttribute(attributeName:string):Y.XmlElement</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
     <b><code>getAttribute(attributeName:string):string</code></b>
     <dd></dd>
diff --git a/src/types/YArray.js b/src/types/YArray.js
index 02ad42f0..db5a7a56 100644
--- a/src/types/YArray.js
+++ b/src/types/YArray.js
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export class YArray extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {number} index The index to insert content at.
    * @param {Array<T>} content The array of content
+   * @return {YArray<T>} Instance of the YArray
    */
   insert (index, content) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -110,24 +111,27 @@ export class YArray extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Array<any>} */ (this._prelimContent).splice(index, 0, ...content)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
    * Appends content to this YArray.
    *
    * @param {Array<T>} content Array of content to append.
+   * @return {YArray<T>} Instance of the YArray
    */
   push (content) {
-    this.insert(this.length, content)
+    return this.insert(this.length, content)
   }
 
   /**
    * Preppends content to this YArray.
    *
    * @param {Array<T>} content Array of content to preppend.
+   * @return {YArray<T>} Instance of the YArray
    */
   unshift (content) {
-    this.insert(0, content)
+    return this.insert(0, content)
   }
 
   /**
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ export class YArray extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {number} index Index at which to start deleting elements
    * @param {number} length The number of elements to remove. Defaults to 1.
+   * @return {YArray<T>} Instance of the YArray
    */
   delete (index, length = 1) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -144,6 +149,7 @@ export class YArray extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Array<any>} */ (this._prelimContent).splice(index, length)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/types/YMap.js b/src/types/YMap.js
index 47df69ad..933b69d2 100644
--- a/src/types/YMap.js
+++ b/src/types/YMap.js
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ export class YMap extends AbstractType {
    * Remove a specified element from this YMap.
    *
    * @param {string} key The key of the element to remove.
+   * @return {YMap<T>} Instance of the YMap.
    */
   delete (key) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ export class YMap extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Map<string, any>} */ (this._prelimContent).delete(key)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
@@ -196,6 +198,7 @@ export class YMap extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {string} key The key of the element to add to this YMap
    * @param {T} value The value of the element to add
+   * @return {YMap<T>} Instance of the YMap
    */
   set (key, value) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -205,7 +208,7 @@ export class YMap extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Map<string, any>} */ (this._prelimContent).set(key, value)
     }
-    return value
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/types/YText.js b/src/types/YText.js
index 81e87a0a..0e93e622 100644
--- a/src/types/YText.js
+++ b/src/types/YText.js
@@ -997,11 +997,12 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
    * @param {TextAttributes} [attributes] Optionally define some formatting
    *                                    information to apply on the inserted
    *                                    Text.
+   * @return {YText} Instance of the YText.
    * @public
    */
   insert (index, text, attributes) {
     if (text.length <= 0) {
-      return
+      return this
     }
     const y = this.doc
     if (y !== null) {
@@ -1017,6 +1018,7 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Array<function>} */ (this._pending).push(() => this.insert(index, text, attributes))
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
@@ -1049,12 +1051,13 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {number} index Index at which to start deleting.
    * @param {number} length The number of characters to remove. Defaults to 1.
+   * @return {YText} Instance of the YText.
    *
    * @public
    */
   delete (index, length) {
     if (length === 0) {
-      return
+      return this
     }
     const y = this.doc
     if (y !== null) {
@@ -1065,6 +1068,7 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Array<function>} */ (this._pending).push(() => this.delete(index, length))
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
@@ -1074,12 +1078,13 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
    * @param {number} length The amount of characters to assign properties to.
    * @param {TextAttributes} attributes Attribute information to apply on the
    *                                    text.
+   * @return {YText} Instance of the YText.
    *
    * @public
    */
   format (index, length, attributes) {
     if (length === 0) {
-      return
+      return this
     }
     const y = this.doc
     if (y !== null) {
@@ -1093,6 +1098,7 @@ export class YText extends AbstractType {
     } else {
       /** @type {Array<function>} */ (this._pending).push(() => this.format(index, length, attributes))
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/types/YXmlElement.js b/src/types/YXmlElement.js
index c16e7abb..c9599de8 100644
--- a/src/types/YXmlElement.js
+++ b/src/types/YXmlElement.js
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ export class YXmlElement extends YXmlFragment {
    * Removes an attribute from this YXmlElement.
    *
    * @param {String} attributeName The attribute name that is to be removed.
+   * @return {YXmlElement} Instance of the YXmlElement.
    *
    * @public
    */
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ export class YXmlElement extends YXmlFragment {
     } else {
       /** @type {Map<string,any>} */ (this._prelimAttrs).delete(attributeName)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ export class YXmlElement extends YXmlFragment {
    *
    * @param {String} attributeName The attribute name that is to be set.
    * @param {String} attributeValue The attribute value that is to be set.
+   * @return {YXmlElement} Instance of the YXmlElement.
    *
    * @public
    */
@@ -118,6 +121,7 @@ export class YXmlElement extends YXmlFragment {
     } else {
       /** @type {Map<string, any>} */ (this._prelimAttrs).set(attributeName, attributeValue)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/types/YXmlFragment.js b/src/types/YXmlFragment.js
index 36bdb2d9..d8611bb0 100644
--- a/src/types/YXmlFragment.js
+++ b/src/types/YXmlFragment.js
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ export class YXmlFragment extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {number} index The index to insert content at
    * @param {Array<YXmlElement|YXmlText>} content The array of content
+   * @return {YXmlFragment} Instance of the YXmlFragment.
    */
   insert (index, content) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ export class YXmlFragment extends AbstractType {
       // @ts-ignore _prelimContent is defined because this is not yet integrated
       this._prelimContent.splice(index, 0, ...content)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
@@ -298,6 +300,7 @@ export class YXmlFragment extends AbstractType {
    *
    * @param {number} index Index at which to start deleting elements
    * @param {number} [length=1] The number of elements to remove. Defaults to 1.
+   * @return {YXmlFragment} Instance of the YXmlFragment.
    */
   delete (index, length = 1) {
     if (this.doc !== null) {
@@ -308,6 +311,7 @@ export class YXmlFragment extends AbstractType {
       // @ts-ignore _prelimContent is defined because this is not yet integrated
       this._prelimContent.splice(index, length)
     }
+    return this
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/tests/y-map.tests.js b/tests/y-map.tests.js
index 2c3d128a..403dcc78 100644
--- a/tests/y-map.tests.js
+++ b/tests/y-map.tests.js
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ export const testGetAndSetOfMapProperty = tc => {
  */
 export const testYmapSetsYmap = tc => {
   const { users, map0 } = init(tc, { users: 2 })
-  const map = map0.set('Map', new Y.Map())
+  const map = new Y.Map()
+  map0.set('Map', map)
   t.assert(map0.get('Map') === map)
   map.set('one', 1)
   t.compare(map.get('one'), 1)
@@ -121,7 +122,8 @@ export const testYmapSetsYmap = tc => {
  */
 export const testYmapSetsYarray = tc => {
   const { users, map0 } = init(tc, { users: 2 })
-  const array = map0.set('Array', new Y.Array())
+  const array = new Y.Array()
+  map0.set('Array', array)
   t.assert(array === map0.get('Array'))
   array.insert(0, [1, 2, 3])
   // @ts-ignore
@@ -234,7 +236,8 @@ export const testGetAndSetAndDeleteOfMapPropertyWithThreeConflicts = tc => {
  */
 export const testObserveDeepProperties = tc => {
   const { testConnector, users, map1, map2, map3 } = init(tc, { users: 4 })
-  const _map1 = map1.set('map', new Y.Map())
+  const _map1 = new Y.Map()
+  map1.set('map', _map1)
   let calls = 0
   let dmapid
   map1.observeDeep(events => {