diff --git a/hack/tools/release/notes.go b/hack/tools/release/notes.go
index 3ad9e77741fd..2e825caf2786 100644
--- a/hack/tools/release/notes.go
+++ b/hack/tools/release/notes.go
@@ -225,16 +225,16 @@ func run() int {
 		}
 	}
 
-	results := make(chan processCommitResult)
-	jobs := make(chan *commit)
+	results := make(chan releaseNoteEntryResult)
+	commitCh := make(chan *commit)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 
 	wg.Add(*numWorkers)
 	for i := 0; i < *numWorkers; i++ {
 		go func() {
-			for commit := range jobs {
-				processed := processCommitResult{}
-				processed.prEntry, processed.err = generateNotesPREntry(commit)
+			for commit := range commitCh {
+				processed := releaseNoteEntryResult{}
+				processed.prEntry, processed.err = generateReleaseNoteEntry(commit)
 				results <- processed
 			}
 			wg.Done()
@@ -243,9 +243,9 @@ func run() int {
 
 	go func() {
 		for _, c := range commits {
-			jobs <- c
+			commitCh <- c
 		}
-		close(jobs)
+		close(commitCh)
 	}()
 
 	go func() {
@@ -345,19 +345,23 @@ func commandExists(cmd string) bool {
 	return err == nil
 }
 
-type processCommitResult struct {
-	prEntry *prEntry
+// releaseNoteEntryResult is the result of processing a PR to create a release note item.
+// Used to aggregate the line item and error when processing concurrently.
+type releaseNoteEntryResult struct {
+	prEntry *releaseNoteEntry
 	err     error
 }
 
-type prEntry struct {
+// releaseNoteEntry represents a line item in the release notes.
+type releaseNoteEntry struct {
 	title    string
 	section  string
 	prNumber string
 }
 
-func generateNotesPREntry(c *commit) (*prEntry, error) {
-	entry := &prEntry{}
+// generateReleaseNoteEntry processes a commit into a PR line item for the release notes.
+func generateReleaseNoteEntry(c *commit) (*releaseNoteEntry, error) {
+	entry := &releaseNoteEntry{}
 	entry.title = trimTitle(c.body)
 	var fork string
 	prefix, err := getAreaLabel(c.merge)