diff --git a/optimize/bfgs.go b/optimize/bfgs.go
index e7280b28..eaef7e31 100644
--- a/optimize/bfgs.go
+++ b/optimize/bfgs.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (b *BFGS) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask,
 	return
 }
 
-func (b *BFGS) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (b *BFGS) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	if b.Linesearcher == nil {
 		b.Linesearcher = &Bisection{}
 	}
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (b *BFGS) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return b.ls.Init(loc)
 }
 
-func (b *BFGS) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (b *BFGS) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return b.ls.Iterate(loc)
 }
 
diff --git a/optimize/cg.go b/optimize/cg.go
index ff6ef88f..f5295d4a 100644
--- a/optimize/cg.go
+++ b/optimize/cg.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func (cg *CG) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask, t
 	return
 }
 
-func (cg *CG) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (cg *CG) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	if cg.IterationRestartFactor < 0 {
 		panic("cg: IterationRestartFactor is negative")
 	}
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (cg *CG) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return cg.ls.Init(loc)
 }
 
-func (cg *CG) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (cg *CG) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return cg.ls.Iterate(loc)
 }
 
diff --git a/optimize/gradientdescent.go b/optimize/gradientdescent.go
index 0e157cd2..1eca92b5 100644
--- a/optimize/gradientdescent.go
+++ b/optimize/gradientdescent.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (g *GradientDescent) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan G
 	return
 }
 
-func (g *GradientDescent) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (g *GradientDescent) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	if g.Linesearcher == nil {
 		g.Linesearcher = &Backtracking{}
 	}
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (g *GradientDescent) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return g.ls.Init(loc)
 }
 
-func (g *GradientDescent) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (g *GradientDescent) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return g.ls.Iterate(loc)
 }
 
diff --git a/optimize/interfaces.go b/optimize/interfaces.go
index 2c7d6e00..b6d1b9b1 100644
--- a/optimize/interfaces.go
+++ b/optimize/interfaces.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 package optimize
 
-// A Method can optimize an objective function.
+// A localMethod can optimize an objective function.
 //
 // It uses a reverse-communication interface between the optimization method
 // and the caller. Method acts as a client that asks the caller to perform
@@ -34,15 +34,15 @@ package optimize
 // A Method must not return InitIteration and PostIteration operations. These are
 // reserved for the clients to be passed to Recorders. A Method must also not
 // combine the Evaluation operations with the Iteration operations.
-type Method interface {
+type localMethod interface {
 	// Init initializes the method based on the initial data in loc, updates it
 	// and returns the first operation to be carried out by the caller.
 	// The initial location must be valid as specified by Needs.
-	Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error)
+	initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error)
 
 	// Iterate retrieves data from loc, performs one iteration of the method,
 	// updates loc and returns the next operation.
-	Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error)
+	iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error)
 
 	Needser
 }
diff --git a/optimize/lbfgs.go b/optimize/lbfgs.go
index 52200f94..5e30bc67 100644
--- a/optimize/lbfgs.go
+++ b/optimize/lbfgs.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func (l *LBFGS) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask,
 	return
 }
 
-func (l *LBFGS) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (l *LBFGS) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	if l.Linesearcher == nil {
 		l.Linesearcher = &Bisection{}
 	}
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (l *LBFGS) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return l.ls.Init(loc)
 }
 
-func (l *LBFGS) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (l *LBFGS) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return l.ls.Iterate(loc)
 }
 
diff --git a/optimize/local.go b/optimize/local.go
index 4e8f5ce9..136157fb 100644
--- a/optimize/local.go
+++ b/optimize/local.go
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ import (
 // localOptimizer is a helper type for running an optimization using a LocalMethod.
 type localOptimizer struct{}
 
-// RunGlobal controls the optimization run for a LocalMethod. The calling method
+// RunGlobal controls the optimization run for a localMethod. The calling method
 // must close the operation channel at the conclusion of the optimization. This
 // provides a happens before relationship between the return of status and the
 // closure of operation, and thus a call to method.Status (if necessary).
-func (l localOptimizer) runGlobal(method Method, operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask, tasks []GlobalTask) (Status, error) {
+func (l localOptimizer) runGlobal(method localMethod, operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask, tasks []GlobalTask) (Status, error) {
 	// Local methods start with a fully-specified initial location.
 	task := tasks[0]
 	task = l.initialLocation(operation, result, task, method)
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (l localOptimizer) runGlobal(method Method, operation chan<- GlobalTask, re
 		return NotTerminated, nil
 	}
 
-	op, err := method.Init(task.Location)
+	op, err := method.initLocal(task.Location)
 	if err != nil {
 		l.finishMethodDone(operation, result, task)
 		return Failure, err
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Loop:
 		case PostIteration:
 			break Loop
 		default:
-			op, err := method.Iterate(r.Location)
+			op, err := method.iterateLocal(r.Location)
 			if err != nil {
 				l.finishMethodDone(operation, result, r)
 				return Failure, err
diff --git a/optimize/neldermead.go b/optimize/neldermead.go
index c1d7ce29..fe460741 100644
--- a/optimize/neldermead.go
+++ b/optimize/neldermead.go
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (n *NelderMead) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan Global
 	return
 }
 
-func (n *NelderMead) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (n *NelderMead) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	dim := len(loc.X)
 	if cap(n.vertices) < dim+1 {
 		n.vertices = make([][]float64, dim+1)
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ func computeCentroid(vertices [][]float64, centroid []float64) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (n *NelderMead) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (n *NelderMead) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	dim := len(loc.X)
 	switch n.lastIter {
 	case nmInitialize:
diff --git a/optimize/newton.go b/optimize/newton.go
index 530f64da..5b78c465 100644
--- a/optimize/newton.go
+++ b/optimize/newton.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (n *Newton) RunGlobal(operation chan<- GlobalTask, result <-chan GlobalTask
 	return
 }
 
-func (n *Newton) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (n *Newton) initLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	if n.Increase == 0 {
 		n.Increase = 5
 	}
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (n *Newton) Init(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return n.ls.Init(loc)
 }
 
-func (n *Newton) Iterate(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
+func (n *Newton) iterateLocal(loc *Location) (Operation, error) {
 	return n.ls.Iterate(loc)
 }