diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdataitem.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdataitem.sip.in
index 62f73c42dd3..3f77071f996 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdataitem.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdataitem.sip.in
@@ -54,9 +54,17 @@ Parent/children hierarchy is not based on QObject.
 
     QgsDataItem( QgsDataItem::Type type, QgsDataItem *parent /TransferThis/, const QString &name, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
 %Docstring
-Creates new data item
-``providerKey`` added in QGIS 3.12
+Constructor for QgsDataItem, with the specified ``parent`` item.
+
+The ``name`` argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. A translated string should
+be used wherever appropriate.
+
+The ``path`` argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The ``path`` string can take any form,
+but QgsDataItem items pointing to different logical locations should always use a different item ``path``.
+
+The optional ``providerKey`` string (added in QGIS 3.12) can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
 %End
+
     ~QgsDataItem();
 
     bool hasChildren();
@@ -577,10 +585,20 @@ A Collection: logical collection of layers or subcollections, e.g. GRASS locatio
 #include "qgsdataitem.h"
 %End
   public:
-    QgsDataCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &path = QString(), const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+
+    QgsDataCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent /TransferThis/, const QString &name, const QString &path = QString(), const QString &providerKey = QString() );
 %Docstring
-Constructor
+Constructor for QgsDataCollectionItem, with the specified ``parent`` item.
+
+The ``name`` argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. A translated string should
+be used wherever appropriate.
+
+The ``path`` argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The ``path`` string can take any form,
+but QgsDataCollectionItem items pointing to different logical locations should always use a different item ``path``.
+
+The optional ``providerKey`` string can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
 %End
+
     ~QgsDataCollectionItem();
 
     void addChild( QgsDataItem *item /Transfer/ );
@@ -627,17 +645,36 @@ A directory: contains subdirectories and layers
 %End
   public:
 
-    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &path );
-
-    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &dirPath, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent /TransferThis/, const QString &name, const QString &path );
 %Docstring
-Constructor.
+Constructor for QgsDirectoryItem, with the specified ``parent`` item.
 
-:param parent:
-:param name: directory name
-:param dirPath: path to directory in file system
-:param path: item path in the tree, it may be dirPath or dirPath with some prefix, e.g. favorites:
-:param providerKey: key of the provider that created this item
+The ``name`` argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. This is usually
+the directory name, but in certain cases may differ for special directories (e.g. "Home").
+If a non-directory-name text is used, it should be a translated string when appropriate.
+
+The ``path`` argument specifies the directory path in the file system (e.g. "/home/gsherman/stuff"). A valid
+directory path must be specified.
+%End
+
+
+
+    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent /TransferThis/, const QString &name, const QString &dirPath, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+%Docstring
+Constructor for QgsDirectoryItem, with the specified ``parent`` item.
+
+The ``name`` argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. This is usually
+the directory name, but in certain cases may differ for special directories (e.g. "Home").
+If a non-directory-name text is used, it should be a translated string when appropriate.
+
+The ``dirPath`` argument specifies the directory path in the file system (e.g. "/home/gsherman/stuff"). A valid
+directory path must be specified.
+
+The ``path`` argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The ``path`` string can take any form, but is usually
+the same as ``dirPath`` or ``dirPath`` with a prefix, e.g. "favorites:/home/gsherman/Downloads"). QgsDirectoryItem
+items pointing to different ``dirPaths`` should always use a different item ``path``.
+
+The optional ``providerKey`` string can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
 %End
 
     virtual void setState( State state );
diff --git a/src/core/qgsbrowsermodel.cpp b/src/core/qgsbrowsermodel.cpp
index f1468dbfff9..75a98cc4623 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsbrowsermodel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsbrowsermodel.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void QgsBrowserModel::addRootItems()
     if ( QgsDirectoryItem::hiddenPath( path ) )
       continue;
 
-    QgsDirectoryItem *item = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, QString(), path, QStringLiteral( "special:Drives" ) );
+    QgsDirectoryItem *item = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, path, path, QStringLiteral( "special:Drives" ) );
     item->setSortKey( QStringLiteral( " 3 %1" ).arg( path ) );
     mDriveItems.insert( path, item );
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void QgsBrowserModel::addRootItems()
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
   QString path = QString( "/Volumes" );
-  QgsDirectoryItem *vols = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, QString(), path, QStringLiteral( "special:Volumes" ) );
+  QgsDirectoryItem *vols = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, path, path, QStringLiteral( "special:Volumes" ) );
   mRootItems << vols;
 #endif
 
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ void QgsBrowserModel::refreshDrives()
     // does an item for this drive already exist?
     if ( !mDriveItems.contains( path ) )
     {
-      QgsDirectoryItem *item = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, path );
+      QgsDirectoryItem *item = new QgsDirectoryItem( nullptr, path, path, path, QStringLiteral( "special:Drives" ) );
       item->setSortKey( QStringLiteral( " 3 %1" ).arg( path ) );
 
       mDriveItems.insert( path, item );
diff --git a/src/core/qgsdataitem.h b/src/core/qgsdataitem.h
index b4ea103633a..8b2a6ef87a2 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsdataitem.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsdataitem.h
@@ -87,10 +87,18 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsDataItem : public QObject
     Q_ENUM( Type )
 
     /**
-     * Creates new data item
-     * \a providerKey added in QGIS 3.12
+     * Constructor for QgsDataItem, with the specified \a parent item.
+     *
+     * The \a name argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. A translated string should
+     * be used wherever appropriate.
+     *
+     * The \a path argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The \a path string can take any form,
+     * but QgsDataItem items pointing to different logical locations should always use a different item \a path.
+     *
+     * The optional \a providerKey string (added in QGIS 3.12) can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
      */
     QgsDataItem( QgsDataItem::Type type, QgsDataItem *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS, const QString &name, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+
     ~QgsDataItem() override;
 
     bool hasChildren();
@@ -594,8 +602,20 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsDataCollectionItem : public QgsDataItem
 {
     Q_OBJECT
   public:
-    //! Constructor
-    QgsDataCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &path = QString(), const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor for QgsDataCollectionItem, with the specified \a parent item.
+     *
+     * The \a name argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. A translated string should
+     * be used wherever appropriate.
+     *
+     * The \a path argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The \a path string can take any form,
+     * but QgsDataCollectionItem items pointing to different logical locations should always use a different item \a path.
+     *
+     * The optional \a providerKey string can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
+     */
+    QgsDataCollectionItem( QgsDataItem *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS, const QString &name, const QString &path = QString(), const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+
     ~QgsDataCollectionItem() override;
 
     void addChild( QgsDataItem *item SIP_TRANSFER ) { mChildren.append( item ); }
@@ -636,17 +656,39 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsDirectoryItem : public QgsDataCollectionItem
     Q_OBJECT
   public:
 
-    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &path );
+    /**
+     * Constructor for QgsDirectoryItem, with the specified \a parent item.
+     *
+     * The \a name argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. This is usually
+     * the directory name, but in certain cases may differ for special directories (e.g. "Home").
+     * If a non-directory-name text is used, it should be a translated string when appropriate.
+     *
+     * The \a path argument specifies the directory path in the file system (e.g. "/home/gsherman/stuff"). A valid
+     * directory path must be specified.
+     */
+    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS, const QString &name, const QString &path );
+
+
+    // TODO QGIS 4.0 -- rename "name" to "title" or "text" or something more descriptive, and "path" to something
+    // else to clarify the role of dirPath vs path
 
     /**
-     * Constructor.
-     * \param parent
-     * \param name directory name
-     * \param dirPath path to directory in file system
-     * \param path item path in the tree, it may be dirPath or dirPath with some prefix, e.g. favorites:
-     * \param providerKey key of the provider that created this item
+     * Constructor for QgsDirectoryItem, with the specified \a parent item.
+     *
+     * The \a name argument specifies the text to show in the model for the item. This is usually
+     * the directory name, but in certain cases may differ for special directories (e.g. "Home").
+     * If a non-directory-name text is used, it should be a translated string when appropriate.
+     *
+     * The \a dirPath argument specifies the directory path in the file system (e.g. "/home/gsherman/stuff"). A valid
+     * directory path must be specified.
+     *
+     * The \a path argument gives the item path in the browser tree. The \a path string can take any form, but is usually
+     * the same as \a dirPath or \a dirPath with a prefix, e.g. "favorites:/home/gsherman/Downloads"). QgsDirectoryItem
+     * items pointing to different \a dirPaths should always use a different item \a path.
+     *
+     * The optional \a providerKey string can be used to specify the key for the QgsDataItemProvider that created this item.
      */
-    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent, const QString &name, const QString &dirPath, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
+    QgsDirectoryItem( QgsDataItem *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS, const QString &name, const QString &dirPath, const QString &path, const QString &providerKey = QString() );
 
     void setState( State state ) override;