diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
index a05d6fdbef..827e39ab7e 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.spec.ts
@@ -72,9 +72,10 @@ describe("ObjectCacheService", () => {
     it("should not return a cached object that has exceeded its time to live", () => {
       spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry));
 
-      let testObj: any;
-      service.get(uuid, TestClass).take(1).subscribe(o => testObj = o);
-      expect(testObj).toBeUndefined();
+      let getObsHasFired = false;
+      const subscription = service.get(uuid, TestClass).subscribe(o => getObsHasFired = true);
+      expect(getObsHasFired).toBe(false);
+      subscription.unsubscribe();
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts
index 6cabbfd91d..9093093f50 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export class ObjectCacheService {
    * @param type
    *    The type of the object to get
    * @return Observable<T>
+   *    An observable of the requested object
    */
   get<T extends CacheableObject>(uuid: string, type: GenericConstructor<T>): Observable<T> {
     return this.store.select<ObjectCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'object', uuid)
diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb4a07a742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import { RequestCacheService } from "./request-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { RequestCacheState, RequestCacheEntry } from "./request-cache.reducer";
+import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
+import { RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction } from "./request-cache.actions";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+
+describe("RequestCacheService", () => {
+  let service: RequestCacheService;
+  let store: Store<RequestCacheState>;
+
+  const keys = ["125c17f89046283c5f0640722aac9feb", "a06c3006a41caec5d635af099b0c780c"];
+  const serviceTokens = [new OpaqueToken('service1'), new OpaqueToken('service2')];
+  const resourceID = "9978";
+  const paginationOptions = { "resultsPerPage": 10, "currentPage": 1 };
+  const sortOptions = { "field": "id", "direction": 0 };
+  const timestamp = new Date().getTime();
+  const validCacheEntry = (key) => {
+    return {
+      key: key,
+      timeAdded: timestamp,
+      msToLive: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 // a day
+    }
+  };
+  const invalidCacheEntry = (key) => {
+    return {
+      key: key,
+      timeAdded: 0,
+      msToLive: 0
+    }
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    store = new Store<RequestCacheState>(undefined, undefined, undefined);
+    spyOn(store, 'dispatch');
+    service = new RequestCacheService(store);
+    spyOn(window, 'Date').and.returnValue({ getTime: () => timestamp });
+  });
+
+  describe("findAll", () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
+    });
+    describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
+      });
+      it("should dispatch a FIND_ALL action with the key, service, scopeID, paginationOptions and sortOptions", () => {
+        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
+        expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new RequestCacheFindAllAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions))
+      });
+      it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
+        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
+        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+      });
+    });
+    describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
+      });
+      it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
+        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
+        expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+      it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
+        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
+        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("findById", () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
+    });
+    describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
+      });
+      it("should dispatch a FIND_BY_ID action with the key, service, and resourceID", () => {
+        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
+        expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new RequestCacheFindByIDAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID))
+      });
+      it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
+        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
+        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+      });
+    });
+    describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
+      });
+      it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
+        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
+        expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+      it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
+        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
+        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("get", () => {
+    it("should return an observable of the cached request with the specified key", () => {
+      spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
+        return Observable.of(validCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
+      });
+
+      let testObj: RequestCacheEntry;
+      service.get(keys[1]).take(1).subscribe(entry => testObj = entry);
+      expect(testObj.key).toEqual(keys[1]);
+    });
+
+    it("should not return a cached request that has exceeded its time to live", () => {
+      spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
+        return Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
+      });
+
+      let getObsHasFired = false;
+      const subscription = service.get(keys[1]).subscribe(entry => getObsHasFired = true);
+      expect(getObsHasFired).toBe(false);
+      subscription.unsubscribe();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("has", () => {
+    it("should return true if the request with the supplied key is cached and still valid", () => {
+      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(validCacheEntry(keys[1])));
+      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false if the request with the supplied key isn't cached", () => {
+      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(undefined));
+      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false if the request with the supplied key is cached but has exceeded its time to live", () => {
+      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(keys[1])));
+      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts
index 418a1ad204..efa7b0d426 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts
@@ -10,12 +10,35 @@ import {
 import { SortOptions } from "../shared/sort-options.model";
 import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
 
+/**
+ * A service to interact with the request cache
+ */
 @Injectable()
 export class RequestCacheService {
   constructor(
     private store: Store<RequestCacheState>
   ) {}
 
+  /**
+   * Start a new findAll request
+   *
+   * This will send a new findAll request to the backend,
+   * and store the request parameters and the fact that
+   * the request is pending
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key should be a unique identifier for the request and its parameters
+   * @param service
+   *    the service that initiated the request
+   * @param scopeID
+   *    the id of an optional scope object
+   * @param paginationOptions
+   *    the pagination options (optional)
+   * @param sortOptions
+   *    the sort options (optional)
+   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
+   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry for this request
+   */
   findAll(
     key: string,
     service: OpaqueToken,
@@ -29,6 +52,22 @@ export class RequestCacheService {
     return this.get(key);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Start a new findById request
+   *
+   * This will send a new findById request to the backend,
+   * and store the request parameters and the fact that
+   * the request is pending
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key should be a unique identifier for the request and its parameters
+   * @param service
+   *    the service that initiated the request
+   * @param resourceID
+   *    the ID of the resource to find
+   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
+   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry for this request
+   */
   findById(
     key: string,
     service: OpaqueToken,
@@ -40,12 +79,29 @@ export class RequestCacheService {
     return this.get(key);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get an observable of the request with the specified key
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key of the request to get
+   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
+   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry with the specified key
+   */
   get(key: string): Observable<RequestCacheEntry> {
     return this.store.select<RequestCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'request', key)
       .filter(entry => this.isValid(entry))
       .distinctUntilChanged()
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Check whether the request with the specified key is cached
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key of the request to check
+   * @return boolean
+   *    true if the request with the specified key is cached,
+   *    false otherwise
+   */
   has(key: string): boolean {
     let result: boolean;
 
@@ -56,6 +112,15 @@ export class RequestCacheService {
     return result;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Check whether a RequestCacheEntry should still be cached
+   *
+   * @param entry
+   *    the entry to check
+   * @return boolean
+   *    false if the entry is null, undefined, or its time to
+   *    live has been exceeded, true otherwise
+   */
   private isValid(entry: RequestCacheEntry): boolean {
     if (hasNoValue(entry)) {
       return false;