diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesXML.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesXML.java
index 323fa16b..286dd797 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesXML.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesXML.java
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public void setReleaseList(List<Release> releaseList) {
      * @return the current value of the {@link ChangesXML#releaseList} attribute
      */
     public List<Release> getReleaseList() {
-        return releaseList == null ? Collections.<Release>emptyList() : releaseList;
+        return releaseList == null ? Collections.emptyList() : releaseList;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesValidatorMojoTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesValidatorMojoTest.java
index 7c76e2d5..91645d0f 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesValidatorMojoTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ChangesValidatorMojoTest.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class ChangesValidatorMojoTest extends AbstractMojoTestCase {
     public void setUp() throws Exception {
         super.setUp();
         File pom = new File(getBasedir(), "/src/test/unit/plugin-config.xml");
-        mojo = (ChangesValidatorMojo) lookupMojo("changes-validate", pom);
+        mojo = lookupMojo("changes-validate", pom);
     }
 
     public void testValidationSuccess() throws Exception {
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ public void testValidationFailedWithMojoFailure() throws Exception {
         setVariableValueToObject(mojo, "failOnError", Boolean.TRUE);
         try {
             mojo.execute();
-            fail(" a MojoExecutionException should occur here changes file is not valid and failOnError is true ");
+            fail(" A MojoExecutionException should occur here. Changes file is not valid and failOnError is true ");
         } catch (MojoExecutionException e) {
-            // we except exception here
+            // expected
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojoTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojoTest.java
index c957245c..4b4af6a7 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojoTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojoTest.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public class AnnouncementMojoTest extends AbstractMojoTestCase {
 
     public void testAnnounceGeneration() throws Exception {
         File pom = new File(getBasedir(), "/src/test/unit/plugin-config.xml");
-        AnnouncementMojo mojo = (AnnouncementMojo) lookupMojo("announcement-generate", pom);
+        AnnouncementMojo mojo = lookupMojo("announcement-generate", pom);
 
         setVariableValueToObject(mojo, "xmlPath", new File(getBasedir(), "/src/test/unit/announce-changes.xml"));
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/github/GitHubDownloaderTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/github/GitHubDownloaderTest.java
index 04ea9468..e8aae6ba 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/github/GitHubDownloaderTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/github/GitHubDownloaderTest.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 import org.apache.maven.settings.Server;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.Settings;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.building.DefaultSettingsProblem;
-import org.apache.maven.settings.building.SettingsProblem;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.building.SettingsProblem.Severity;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.crypto.DefaultSettingsDecryptionRequest;
 import org.apache.maven.settings.crypto.SettingsDecrypter;
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ public void testConfigureAuthenticationWithProblems() throws Exception {
         SettingsDecryptionResult result = mock(SettingsDecryptionResult.class);
         Log log = mock(Log.class);
         when(result.getProblems())
-                .thenReturn(Collections.<SettingsProblem>singletonList(
+                .thenReturn(Collections.singletonList(
                         new DefaultSettingsProblem("Ups " + server.getId(), Severity.ERROR, null, -1, -1, null)));
         when(result.getServer()).thenReturn(server);
         when(decrypter.decrypt(any(SettingsDecryptionRequest.class))).thenReturn(result);
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ public void testConfigureAuthenticationWithNoServer() throws Exception {
         SettingsDecrypter decrypter = mock(SettingsDecrypter.class);
         SettingsDecryptionResult result = mock(SettingsDecryptionResult.class);
         Log log = mock(Log.class);
-        when(result.getProblems()).thenReturn(Collections.<SettingsProblem>emptyList());
+        when(result.getProblems()).thenReturn(Collections.emptyList());
         when(result.getServer()).thenReturn(server);
         when(decrypter.decrypt(new DefaultSettingsDecryptionRequest(server))).thenReturn(result);