diff --git a/docs/api-guide/pagination.md b/docs/api-guide/pagination.md
index 9b7086c54..834292920 100644
--- a/docs/api-guide/pagination.md
+++ b/docs/api-guide/pagination.md
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ For example, to nest a pair of links labelled 'prev' and 'next', and set the nam
 
     class CustomPaginationSerializer(pagination.BasePaginationSerializer):
         links = LinksSerializer(source='*')  # Takes the page object as the source
-        total_results = serializers.Field(source='paginator.count')
+        total_results = serializers.ReadOnlyField(source='paginator.count')
 
         results_field = 'objects'
 
diff --git a/docs/api-guide/routers.md b/docs/api-guide/routers.md
index 080230faf..929a1710c 100644
--- a/docs/api-guide/routers.md
+++ b/docs/api-guide/routers.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ The example above would generate the following URL patterns:
 
 **Note**: The `base_name` argument is used to specify the initial part of the view name pattern.  In the example above, that's the `user` or `account` part.
 
-Typically you won't *need* to specify the `base-name` argument, but if you have a viewset where you've defined a custom `get_queryset` method, then the viewset may not have a `.queryset` attribute set.  If you try to register that viewset you'll see an error like this:
+Typically you won't *need* to specify the `base_name` argument, but if you have a viewset where you've defined a custom `get_queryset` method, then the viewset may not have a `.queryset` attribute set.  If you try to register that viewset you'll see an error like this:
 
     'base_name' argument not specified, and could not automatically determine the name from the viewset, as it does not have a '.queryset' attribute.
 
diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
index 25122e141..205efd2f8 100644
--- a/rest_framework/fields.py
+++ b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -274,7 +274,23 @@ class Field(object):
         Given the *outgoing* object instance, return the primitive value
         that should be used for this field.
         """
-        return get_attribute(instance, self.source_attrs)
+        try:
+            return get_attribute(instance, self.source_attrs)
+        except (KeyError, AttributeError) as exc:
+            msg = (
+                'Got {exc_type} when attempting to get a value for field '
+                '`{field}` on serializer `{serializer}`.\nThe serializer '
+                'field might be named incorrectly and not match '
+                'any attribute or key on the `{instance}` instance.\n'
+                'Original exception text was: {exc}.'.format(
+                    exc_type=type(exc).__name__,
+                    field=self.field_name,
+                    serializer=self.parent.__class__.__name__,
+                    instance=instance.__class__.__name__,
+                    exc=exc
+                )
+            )
+            raise type(exc)(msg)
 
     def get_default(self):
         """
diff --git a/rest_framework/serializers.py b/rest_framework/serializers.py
index 9226895e0..5adbca3bd 100644
--- a/rest_framework/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/serializers.py
@@ -611,6 +611,7 @@ def raise_errors_on_nested_writes(method_name, serializer, validated_data):
     #     profile = ProfileSerializer()
     assert not any(
         isinstance(field, BaseSerializer) and (key in validated_data)
+        and isinstance(validated_data[key], (list, dict))
         for key, field in serializer.fields.items()
     ), (
         'The `.{method_name}()` method does not support writable nested'
@@ -630,6 +631,7 @@ def raise_errors_on_nested_writes(method_name, serializer, validated_data):
     #     address = serializer.CharField('profile.address')
     assert not any(
         '.' in field.source and (key in validated_data)
+        and isinstance(validated_data[key], (list, dict))
         for key, field in serializer.fields.items()
     ), (
         'The `.{method_name}()` method does not support writable dotted-source '
diff --git a/tests/test_serializer.py b/tests/test_serializer.py
index 6dabaf42e..56b390956 100644
--- a/tests/test_serializer.py
+++ b/tests/test_serializer.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from rest_framework import serializers
 import pytest
 
@@ -175,3 +176,24 @@ class TestStarredSource:
         instance = {'a': 1, 'b': 2, 'c': 3, 'd': 4}
         serializer = self.Serializer(instance)
         assert serializer.data == self.data
+
+
+class TestIncorrectlyConfigured:
+    def test_incorrect_field_name(self):
+        class ExampleSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            incorrect_name = serializers.IntegerField()
+
+        class ExampleObject:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.correct_name = 123
+
+        instance = ExampleObject()
+        serializer = ExampleSerializer(instance)
+        with pytest.raises(AttributeError) as exc_info:
+            serializer.data
+        msg = str(exc_info.value)
+        assert msg.startswith(
+            "Got AttributeError when attempting to get a value for field `incorrect_name` on serializer `ExampleSerializer`.\n"
+            "The serializer field might be named incorrectly and not match any attribute or key on the `ExampleObject` instance.\n"
+            "Original exception text was:"
+        )