Reed College
Reed College

Office of the Registrar

Grading Instructions

Four-Week Comments
Eight-Week Grading and Comments
Spring Senior Grading
Spring (Non-Senior) and Fall Final Grading
Grade Change Requests

Four-Week Instructor Comments

Please review your class lists on IRIS https://iris.reed.edu in order to complete four-week progress reports.

Comments are NOT required for all students. They are required ONLY for students who are a) doing less than satisfactory work, b) on probation or c) enrolled in an overload. In the column on the class list labeled Overload/Probation is a designator for those students who are either on probation or carrying an overload.

Comments are required only for graded sections of classes (i.e., not for labs, lab lectures, etc.)

Log in to IRIS (https://iris.reed.edu), select Class Lists, and select My Courses. Choose the class for which you will write comments by either selecting the section in the left column or more directly by selecting "Grade/Comment" from the right column. If you have clicked on the section, then click on "Grade/Comment" in the grey box above the class roster when the section appears.

When the list of students comes up, the far right column designates the link to the comment form. Click on the "Create" or "Required" link for the student for whom you will write a comment. The comment window will open and you can write and submit your comment. Click on "Save " to submit.  Clicking on Save will return you to the list of enrolled students.  You will now see "Edit" in place of Create/Required for the student whose comment you have just completed.  Your comment is submitted, although you still have a chance to edit the comment if needed.  Comments may be required for theses or independent studies, so please remember to look at class lists for those courses.

Use the comment form in the way that best fits your course. This early in the semester, we include the option to simply designate whether the student is in attendance. If more detailed information is available, please complete any other section of the form that is relevant.

It is possible, during the period in which Four Week Comments may be submitted, to edit submitted comments. Once the Four Week Comment window is closed, this is no longer possible.

Please remember that comments are available to students via IRIS, although their access to comments is delayed.  They will not see the comments until we have notified advisers of comments recorded for their advisees, so that advisers have time to communicate with advisees.  A day or so after advisers are notified, students will be informed that a comment has been recorded for them.  Students are not able to see satisfactory grades on their comments, although they will see grades of C-, D, F, Incomplete, UW, DS, and No Credit.

Remember, if none of your students is on probation, enrolled in an overload, or doing poorly, you need not write comments at this time.

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Eight-Week Grading and Comments

Please review your class lists on IRIS https://iris.reed.edu in order to complete eight-week grading and progress reports.

Letter grades are required for all students at eight-week grading. Comments are NOT required for all students. They are required ONLY for students who are a) doing less than satisfactory work, b) on probation or c) enrolled in an overload. In the column on the class list labeled Overload/Probation is a designator for those students who are either on probation or carrying an overload.

Comments are required only for graded sections of classes (i.e., not for labs, lab lectures, etc.)

Log in to IRIS (https://iris.reed.edu), select Class Lists, and select My Courses. Choose the class to grade by either selecting the section in the left column, or more directly by selecting "Grade/Comment" from the Actions column on the right. If you have clicked on the section, then click on "Grade/Comment" in the grey box above the class roster when the section appears.

Grade each student whose name appears on your class list. If a student's name does not appear, please notify the registrar's office of who is not enrolled. Your grades are automatically saved when they are entered. Once you are ready to submit grades, click the "Record Grades" button above the class list. It is possible to record some grades without recording the whole class.  Please remember to grade theses and independent studies.

It is possible to retract grades that have been recorded, up until the grading period has closed. When a grade is retracted, it is possible to both modify the grade and edit or delete the instructor comment. Simply click on the grade that you wish to retract, and you will receive a message box with information about the process. If a grade may not longer be retracted, you will receive a message to that effect and you will have to submit a Grade Change request.

Assign letter grades of A - F to all students carrying an overload, and those students on probation. These designations appear on the class list. The students for whom comments are required will also be noted as "comment required" once you have saved your grades.

Letter grades of A through F are strongly recommended for all grade reviews. The grade of "S" is allowed in the fall for fall and year-long courses, but only when the student's work is "C" level or higher. In spring, S grades may not be assigned at eight-week in any year-long course other than thesis. Students who are taking an overload or who are on academic probation cannot be assigned S grades.

The notation of "UW" may be used in those instances in which the instructor is unable to evaluate a student's performance, e.g., a student who is officially registered but is not attending class. UW cannot be recorded at the end of the semester unless it is recorded at this grading period.

An incomplete may be recorded for reasons of health or extreme emergency, if the work completed up to the point of the INC is passing. You will be asked to include a letter grade on the comment form to be assigned if no further work is submitted.

If a student is enrolled in an overload or is on probation, a comment form is required. Comment forms must be filled out for any student earning a grade of C-, D, F, DIS, UW, No Credit, or INC. For MALS students, a comment form is required for the grade C or lower. Comment forms can also be used for students who are doing well.

Please remember that comments are available to students via IRIS, although their access to comments is delayed.  They will not see the comments until we have notified advisers of comments recorded for their advisees, so that advisers have time to communicate with advisees.  A day or so after advisers are notified, students will be informed that a comment has been recorded for them.  Students are not able to see satisfactory grades on their comments, although they will see grades of C-, D, F, Incomplete, UW, DS, and No Credit.

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Spring Senior Grading

You must grade the students who are expected to graduate at this time. You may grade your other students as well, if you are ready to do so.

Courses with seniors registered are indicated as "Seniors required" in the Grading status column to the right.

In IRIS, you can open the grading function one of two ways from your list of classes. You can select the "Grade/Comment" link in the "Actions" column to the right. If you already have a specific Class List open, then click the "Grade/Comment" box above the roster.

Grade each student on your class list who is expected to graduate. This population is designated by bold text and red fill around the grading drop-down menu. For thesis you must submit a letter grade. For other classes you may submit a letter grade, or submit a temporary grade of "P" (Pass) or "F" (Fail) from the Temp P/F column.

Your grades are automatically saved when they are entered. Once you are ready to submit grades, click the "Record Grades" button above the class list. You may choose to record just seniors, or everybody. It is possible to record some grades without recording the whole class. Once the "Record Grades" button has been clicked, the grades and comments will be uploaded to the database.

It is now possible to retract grades that have been recorded until the grading period has closed. When a grade is retracted, it is possible to both modify the grade and edit or delete the instructor comment. Simply click on the grade that you wish to retract, and you will receive a message box with information about the process. It is not possible to retract temporary Pass/Fail grades. If a grade may not longer be retracted, you will receive a message to that effect and you will have to submit a Grade Change request.

If you submitted temporary Pass or Fail grades, the drop-down menu in the Final column will remain so you may submit the actual grades at a later time. When a temporary grade has been recorded, a blue tilde mark will appear in the Status column.

Comment forms must be filled out for any student earning a grade of C-, D, F, DIS, UW, No Credit, or INC. Comments are not required for a temporary (P/F) senior F. For MALS students, a comment form is required for the grade C or lower. Comment forms can also be used for students who are doing well. Comments are not required at this time for students who have been on probation or taking an overload.

Please remember that comments are available to students via IRIS, although their access to comments is delayed.  They will not see the comments until we have notified advisers of comments recorded for their advisees, so that advisers have time to communicate with advisees.  A day or so after advisers are notified, students will be informed that a comment has been recorded for them.  Students are not able to see satisfactory grades on their comments, although they will see grades of C-, D, F, Incomplete, UW, DS, and No Credit.

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Spring (Non-Senior) and Fall Final Grading

In IRIS, you can open the grading function one of two ways from your list of classes. You can select the "Grade/Comment" link in the "Actions" column to the right. If you already have the specific class list open, then click the "Grade/Comment" box above the roster.

Grade each student whose name appears on your class list. Your grades are automatically saved when they are entered. Once you are ready to submit grades, click the "Record Grades" button above the class list. It is now possible to record some grades without recording the whole class.

It is now possible to retract grades that have been recorded until the grading period has closed. When a grade is retracted, it is possible to both modify the grade and edit or delete the instructor comment. Simply click on the grade that you wish to retract, and you will receive a message box with information about the process. If a grade may not longer be retracted, you will receive a message to that effect and you will have to submit a Grade Change request.

Comment forms must be filled out for any student earning a grade of C-, D, F, DIS, UW, No Credit, or INC. For MALS students, a comment form is required for the grade C or lower. Comment forms can also be used for students who are doing well. Comments are not required at this time for students who have been on probation or taking an overload.

Please remember that comments are available to students via IRIS, although their access to comments is delayed.  They will not see the comments until we have notified advisers of comments recorded for their advisees, so that advisers have time to communicate with advisees.  A day or so after advisers are notified, students will be informed that a comment has been recorded for them.  Students are not able to see satisfactory grades on their comments, although they will see grades of C-, D, F, Incomplete, UW, DS, and No Credit.

The notation "UW" may be recorded only if it was given at the eight-week grading period. UW signifies that you are unable to grade the student because it appears s/he has unofficially withdrawn.

An incomplete (IN) may be recorded only for reasons of health or extreme emergency and if the work completed up to the point of the incomplete is passing. You must note on the incomplete comment the letter grade the student will earn if the missing work is NOT turned in, and list the work that must be submitted to complete the course. A grade of IN for thesis must be recommended by the division and approved by the Administration Committee.

At this time the grade of "S" is allowed only as a mid-year progress grade in thesis. The grade of "U" is allowed only as a final grade for an unfinished thesis.

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Grade Change Requests

Grade change requests are now made online, rather than with paper forms.

  1. Log in to IRIS (https://iris.reed.edu)
  2. Go to Class Lists.
  3. Select the term.
  4. Either select the class, or click the "Review grades" link on the right of the class information (in the Actions column). If you selected the class, when the class list opens click the "Review Grades" box above the roster.
  5. Click on the grade you wish to change; a new dialog box will open.
  6. Select the new grade from the drop-down menu.
  7. You must type in a reason for the change of grade. This information will not be included in the comment that is visible to the student and adviser, but will be retained as part of the student's record. This field still requires a response even if it is a resolution of an Incomplete grade
  8. If the new grade is not a satisfactory grade, a comment about the grade is required. This comment will be available to the student and adviser.
  9. The General Comments box is optional.
  10. Click on the "Request grade change" box to submit the request.

Once a grade change request has been submitted, it is not possible to edit or change the request until the change has been processed. If you need to rescind or modify the request, please contact Ben at bradley@reed.edu or 503-777-7295, and he can delete the original request. This will allow you to submit a new request.

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For more information, please contact:
Ben Bradley
bradley@reed.edu
(503) 777-7295

Last updated December 8, 2023