diff --git a/dspace_statistics_api/app.py b/dspace_statistics_api/app.py
index aa129c8..28bddcd 100644
--- a/dspace_statistics_api/app.py
+++ b/dspace_statistics_api/app.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class AllStatisticsResource:
                 )
 
                 # create a list to hold dicts of stats
-                statistics = list()
+                statistics = []
 
                 # iterate over results and build statistics object
                 for result in cursor:
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class AllStatisticsResource:
         )
 
         # create a list to hold dicts of stats
-        statistics = list()
+        statistics = []
 
         # iterate over views dict to extract views and use the element id as an
         # index to the downloads dict to extract downloads.
diff --git a/dspace_statistics_api/util.py b/dspace_statistics_api/util.py
index 8879272..ae292e1 100644
--- a/dspace_statistics_api/util.py
+++ b/dspace_statistics_api/util.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def validate_post_parameters(req, resp, resource, params):
                 description=f'The "{req.context.statistics_scope}" parameter is invalid. The value must be a comma-separated list of UUIDs.',
             )
     else:
-        req.context.elements = list()
+        req.context.elements = []
 
 
 def set_statistics_scope(req, resp, resource, params):