diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f2b96fc0b..7c6882244 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 ### Changed
 
 - Include a copy of the `fields.json` file (for summaries) with each distribution of PySTAC ([#1045](https://github.com/stac-utils/pystac/pull/1045))
+- Removed documentation references to `to_dict` methods returning JSON ([#1074](https://github.com/stac-utils/pystac/pull/1074))
 
 ### Deprecated
 
diff --git a/pystac/asset.py b/pystac/asset.py
index 362470b47..554c5996e 100644
--- a/pystac/asset.py
+++ b/pystac/asset.py
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ def get_absolute_href(self) -> Optional[str]:
             return None
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this Asset.
+        """Returns this Asset as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A serialization of the Asset that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the Asset.
         """
 
         d: Dict[str, Any] = {"href": self.href}
diff --git a/pystac/collection.py b/pystac/collection.py
index 113e6f5c9..f5b986c2d 100644
--- a/pystac/collection.py
+++ b/pystac/collection.py
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.extra_fields = extra_fields or {}
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this SpatialExtent.
+        """Returns this spatial extent as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A serialization of the SpatialExtent that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the SpatialExtent.
         """
         d = {"bbox": self.bboxes, **self.extra_fields}
         return d
@@ -212,10 +212,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.extra_fields = extra_fields or {}
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this TemporalExtent.
+        """Returns this temporal extent as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A serialization of the TemporalExtent that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the TemporalExtent.
         """
         encoded_intervals: List[List[Optional[str]]] = []
         for i in self.intervals:
@@ -311,10 +311,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.extra_fields = extra_fields or {}
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this Extent.
+        """Returns this extent as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A serialization of the Extent that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the Extent.
         """
         d = {
             "spatial": self.spatial.to_dict(),
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/eo.py b/pystac/extensions/eo.py
index 8f1b4951b..ac156d4df 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/eo.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/eo.py
@@ -217,10 +217,10 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return "<Band name={}>".format(self.name)
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this Band.
+        """Returns this band as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The wrapped dict of the Band that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: The serialization of this Band.
         """
         return self.properties
 
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/item_assets.py b/pystac/extensions/item_assets.py
index 8b37da72c..abe78bf98 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/item_assets.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/item_assets.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def roles(self, v: Optional[List[str]]) -> None:
             self.properties[ASSET_ROLES_PROP] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns a JSON-like dictionary representing this ``AssetDefinition``."""
+        """Returns a dictionary representing this ``AssetDefinition``."""
         return deepcopy(self.properties)
 
     def create_asset(self, href: str) -> pystac.Asset:
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/label.py b/pystac/extensions/label.py
index 2dc18321e..64a1f4362 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/label.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/label.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def __eq__(self, o: object) -> bool:
         return self.to_dict() == o
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this instance."""
+        """Returns this label classes object as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ def count(self, v: int) -> None:
         self.properties["count"] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this instance."""
+        """Returns this label count object as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
     def __eq__(self, o: object) -> bool:
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def value(self, v: float) -> None:
         self.properties["value"] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this LabelStatistics."""
+        """Returns this label statistics object as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
     def __eq__(self, o: object) -> bool:
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ def add_counts(counts: List[LabelCount]) -> None:
         return LabelOverview.create(self.property_key, counts=new_counts)
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this LabelOverview."""
+        """Returns this label overview as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
     def __eq__(self, o: object) -> bool:
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/pointcloud.py b/pystac/extensions/pointcloud.py
index b3d7c53c9..8bc8f1884 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/pointcloud.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/pointcloud.py
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
         )
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns a JSON-like dictionary representing this ``Schema``."""
+        """Returns this schema as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
 
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return "<Statistic statistics={}>".format(str(self.properties))
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns a JSON-like dictionary representing this ``Statistic``."""
+        """Returns this statistic as a dictionary."""
         return self.properties
 
     def __eq__(self, o: object) -> bool:
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/raster.py b/pystac/extensions/raster.py
index 7d7054b99..fa59db537 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/raster.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/raster.py
@@ -192,10 +192,10 @@ def valid_percent(self, v: Optional[float]) -> None:
             self.properties.pop("valid_percent", None)
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of those Statistics.
+        """Returns these statistics as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The wrapped dict of the Statistics that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: The serialization of the Statistics.
         """
         return self.properties
 
@@ -328,10 +328,10 @@ def buckets(self, v: List[int]) -> None:
         self.properties["buckets"] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this histogram.
+        """Returns this histogram as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The wrapped dict of the Histogram that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: The serialization of the Histogram.
         """
         return self.properties
 
@@ -631,10 +631,10 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return "<Raster Band>"
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns the dictionary representing the JSON of this Band.
+        """Returns this band as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: The wrapped dict of the Band that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: The serialization of the Band.
         """
         return self.properties
 
diff --git a/pystac/extensions/table.py b/pystac/extensions/table.py
index a922d9c6c..10af0136f 100644
--- a/pystac/extensions/table.py
+++ b/pystac/extensions/table.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def col_type(self, v: Optional[str]) -> None:
             self.properties[COL_TYPE_PROP] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns a JSON-like dictionary representing this ``Column``."""
+        """Returns a dictionary representing this ``Column``."""
         return self.properties
 
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def description(self, v: Optional[str]) -> None:
             self.properties[COL_DESCRIPTION_PROP] = v
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Returns a JSON-like dictionary representing this ``Table``."""
+        """Returns a dictionary representing this ``Table``."""
         return self.properties
 
 
diff --git a/pystac/item_collection.py b/pystac/item_collection.py
index 7a55d638a..93ae74fa6 100644
--- a/pystac/item_collection.py
+++ b/pystac/item_collection.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ def __add__(self, other: object) -> "ItemCollection":
         return ItemCollection(items=combined)
 
     def to_dict(self, transform_hrefs: bool = False) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Serializes an :class:`ItemCollection` instance to a JSON-like dictionary.
+        """Serializes an :class:`ItemCollection` instance to a dictionary.
 
         Args:
             transform_hrefs: If True, transform the HREF of hierarchical links
diff --git a/pystac/link.py b/pystac/link.py
index add3c3fbf..832e84995 100644
--- a/pystac/link.py
+++ b/pystac/link.py
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ def is_hierarchical(self) -> bool:
         return self.rel in HIERARCHICAL_LINKS
 
     def to_dict(self, transform_href: bool = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this serialized Link.
+        """Returns this link as a dictionary.
 
         Args:
             transform_href : If ``True``, transform the HREF based on the type of
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ def to_dict(self, transform_href: bool = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
                 the HREF will be transformed to be relative to the catalog root
                 if this is a hierarchical link relation.
         Returns:
-            dict : A serialization of the Link that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict : A serialization of the Link.
         """
 
         d: Dict[str, Any] = {
diff --git a/pystac/provider.py b/pystac/provider.py
index ae30a7151..4620f85bc 100644
--- a/pystac/provider.py
+++ b/pystac/provider.py
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ def _repr_html_(self) -> str:
             return escape(repr(self))
 
     def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this Provider.
+        """Returns this provider as a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
-            dict: A serialization of the Provider that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the Provider.
         """
         d: Dict[str, Any] = {"name": self.name}
         if self.description is not None:
diff --git a/pystac/stac_object.py b/pystac/stac_object.py
index 3ed060f68..bffedad40 100644
--- a/pystac/stac_object.py
+++ b/pystac/stac_object.py
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ def _object_links(self) -> List[str]:
     def to_dict(
         self, include_self_link: bool = True, transform_hrefs: bool = True
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Generate a dictionary representing the JSON of this serialized object.
+        """Returns this object as a dictionary.
 
         Args:
             include_self_link : If True, the dict will contain a self link
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ def to_dict(
                 hierarchical link HREFs will be transformed to be relative to the
                 catalog root.
 
-            dict: A serialization of the object that can be written out as JSON.
+            dict: A serialization of the object.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError