code: def _validate_arguments(self):
          
          super(SplineTerm, self)._validate_arguments()
  
          if self.basis not in self._bases:
              raise ValueError("basis must be one of {}, "\
                               "but found: {}".format(self._bases, self.basis))
  
          # n_splines
          self.n_splines = check_param(self.n_splines, param_name='n_splines',
                                       dtype='int', constraint='>= 0')
  
          # spline_order
          self.spline_order = check_param(self.spline_order,
                                          param_name='spline_order',
                                          dtype='int', constraint='>= 0')
  
          # n_splines + spline_order
          if not self.n_splines > self.spline_order:
              raise ValueError('n_splines must be > spline_order. '\
                               'found: n_splines = {} and spline_order = {}'\
                               .format(self.n_splines, self.spline_order))
  
          # by
          if self.by is not None:
              self.by = check_param(self.by,
                                    param_name='by',
                                    dtype='int', constraint='>= 0')
  
          return self
docs: method to sanitize model parameters
  
          Parameters
          ---------
          None
  
          Returns
          -------
          None