diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_validate.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_validate.py
index 3f162139..ec2bbc9b 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ def plot(self, kind, color="blue", **kwargs):
         Parameters
         ----------
         kind : str
-            Kind of matplotlib plot.
+            Kind of matplotlib plot, e.g.::
+
+                'foo'
+
         color : str, default 'blue'
             Color name or rgb code.
         **kwargs
@@ -91,6 +94,8 @@ def sample(self):
         float
             Random number generated.
 
+            - Make sure you set a seed for reproducibility
+
         See Also
         --------
         related : Something related.
@@ -115,6 +120,8 @@ def random_letters(self):
         letters : str
             String of random letters.
 
+            .. versionadded:: 0.1
+
         See Also
         --------
         related : Something related.
diff --git a/numpydoc/validate.py b/numpydoc/validate.py
index f268d8b8..fe0473c6 100644
--- a/numpydoc/validate.py
+++ b/numpydoc/validate.py
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@
     "EX01": "No examples section found",
 }
 
+# Ignore these when evaluating end-of-line-"." checks
+IGNORE_STARTS = (" ", "* ", "- ")
+
 
 def error(code, **kwargs):
     """
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ def doc_parameters(self):
         parameters = collections.OrderedDict()
         for names, type_, desc in self.doc["Parameters"]:
             for name in names.split(", "):
-                parameters[name] = (type_, "".join(desc))
+                parameters[name] = (type_, desc)
         return parameters
 
     @property
@@ -329,16 +332,6 @@ def directives_without_two_colons(self):
     def parameter_type(self, param):
         return self.doc_parameters[param][0]
 
-    def parameter_desc(self, param):
-        desc = self.doc_parameters[param][1]
-        # Find and strip out any sphinx directives
-        for directive in DIRECTIVES:
-            full_directive = ".. {}".format(directive)
-            if full_directive in desc:
-                # Only retain any description before the directive
-                desc = desc[: desc.index(full_directive)]
-        return desc
-
     @property
     def see_also(self):
         result = collections.OrderedDict()
@@ -408,6 +401,30 @@ def deprecated(self):
         return ".. deprecated:: " in (self.summary + self.extended_summary)
 
 
+def _check_desc(desc, code_no_desc, code_no_upper, code_no_period, **kwargs):
+    # Find and strip out any sphinx directives
+    desc = "\n".join(desc)
+    for directive in DIRECTIVES:
+        full_directive = ".. {}".format(directive)
+        if full_directive in desc:
+            # Only retain any description before the directive
+            desc = desc[: desc.index(full_directive)].rstrip("\n")
+    desc = desc.split("\n")
+
+    errs = list()
+    if not "".join(desc):
+        errs.append(error(code_no_desc, **kwargs))
+    else:
+        if desc[0][0].isalpha() and not desc[0][0].isupper():
+            errs.append(error(code_no_upper, **kwargs))
+        # Not ending in "." is only an error if the last bit is not
+        # indented (e.g., quote or code block)
+        if not desc[-1].endswith(".") and \
+                not desc[-1].startswith(IGNORE_STARTS):
+            errs.append(error(code_no_period, **kwargs))
+    return errs
+
+
 def validate(func_name):
     """
     Validate the docstring.
@@ -516,7 +533,7 @@ def validate(func_name):
     # PR03: Wrong parameters order
     errs += doc.parameter_mismatches
 
-    for param in doc.doc_parameters:
+    for param, kind_desc in doc.doc_parameters.items():
         if not param.startswith("*"):  # Check can ignore var / kwargs
             if not doc.parameter_type(param):
                 if ":" in param:
@@ -541,13 +558,8 @@ def validate(func_name):
                                 wrong_type=wrong_type,
                             )
                         )
-        if not doc.parameter_desc(param):
-            errs.append(error("PR07", param_name=param))
-        else:
-            if doc.parameter_desc(param)[0].isalpha() and not doc.parameter_desc(param)[0].isupper():
-                errs.append(error("PR08", param_name=param))
-            if doc.parameter_desc(param)[-1] != ".":
-                errs.append(error("PR09", param_name=param))
+        errs.extend(_check_desc(
+            kind_desc[1], "PR07", "PR08", "PR09", param_name=param))
 
     if doc.is_function_or_method:
         if not doc.returns:
@@ -557,14 +569,7 @@ def validate(func_name):
             if len(doc.returns) == 1 and doc.returns[0].name:
                 errs.append(error("RT02"))
             for name_or_type, type_, desc in doc.returns:
-                if not desc:
-                    errs.append(error("RT03"))
-                else:
-                    desc = " ".join(desc)
-                    if desc[0].isalpha() and not desc[0].isupper():
-                        errs.append(error("RT04"))
-                    if not desc.endswith("."):
-                        errs.append(error("RT05"))
+                errs.extend(_check_desc(desc, "RT03", "RT04", "RT05"))
 
         if not doc.yields and "yield" in doc.method_source:
             errs.append(error("YD01"))