code: def query_params(self, params, key, def_value, short_hand=None):
      
      if key not in params and short_hand:
          # value is associated with shorthand, move to key
          params[key] = params.get(short_hand, def_value)
          del params[short_hand]
      elif key not in params and not short_hand:
          params[key] = def_value
      elif key in params:
          # key is there, also possibly shorthand
          # assume def value at this point is not needed
          if short_hand in params:
              del params[short_hand]
      return params
docs: updates params dict to use
      :param params:
      :param key:
      :param def_value:
      :param short_hand:
      :return: