diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
index 6a12e55..e90eaf5 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/btree/impls/BTree.java
@@ -214,12 +214,12 @@
     }
 
     private void insert(ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
-        ctx.modificationCallback.commence(tuple);
+        ctx.modificationCallback.before(tuple);
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ctx);
     }
 
     private void upsert(ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
-        ctx.modificationCallback.commence(tuple);
+        ctx.modificationCallback.before(tuple);
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ctx);
     }
 
@@ -230,12 +230,12 @@
         if (fieldCount == ctx.cmp.getKeyFieldCount()) {
             throw new BTreeNotUpdateableException("Cannot perform updates when the entire tuple forms the key.");
         }
-        ctx.modificationCallback.commence(tuple);
+        ctx.modificationCallback.before(tuple);
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ctx);
     }
 
     private void delete(ITupleReference tuple, BTreeOpContext ctx) throws HyracksDataException, TreeIndexException {
-        ctx.modificationCallback.commence(tuple);
+        ctx.modificationCallback.before(tuple);
         insertUpdateOrDelete(tuple, ctx);
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IModificationOperationCallback.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IModificationOperationCallback.java
index 0e2ff20..5028aee 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IModificationOperationCallback.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/IModificationOperationCallback.java
@@ -2,10 +2,34 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 
+/**
+ * This operation callback allows for arbitrary actions to be taken while traversing 
+ * an index structure. The {@link IModificationOperationCallback} will be called on 
+ * all modifying operations (e.g. insert, update, delete...) for all indexes.
+ * 
+ * @author zheilbron
+ */
 public interface IModificationOperationCallback {
+
+    /**
+     * This method is called on a tuple that is about to traverse an index's structure 
+     * (i.e. before any pages are pinned or latched). 
+     *
+     * The format of the tuple is the format that would be stored in the index itself.
+     * 
+     * @param tuple the tuple that is about to be operated on
+     */
     public void before(ITupleReference tuple);
 
-    public void commence(ITupleReference tuple);
-
+    /**
+     * This method is called on a tuple when a tuple with a matching key is found for the 
+     * current operation. It is possible that tuple is null, in which case no tuple with a 
+     * matching key was found.
+     * 
+     * When found is called, the leaf page where the tuple resides will be pinned and latched, 
+     * so blocking operations should be avoided.
+     * 
+     * @param tuple a tuple with a matching key, otherwise null if none exists
+     */
     public void found(ITupleReference tuple);
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISearchOperationCallback.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISearchOperationCallback.java
index 5bfa219..aad109f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISearchOperationCallback.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/api/ISearchOperationCallback.java
@@ -2,8 +2,34 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
 
+/**
+ * This operation callback allows for arbitrary actions to be taken while traversing 
+ * an index structure. The {@link ISearchOperationCallback} will be called on 
+ * all search operations for ordered indexes only.
+ * 
+ * @author zheilbron
+ */
 public interface ISearchOperationCallback {
+
+    /**
+     * During an index search operation, this method will be called on tuples as they are 
+     * passed by with a search cursor. This call will be invoked while a leaf page is latched 
+     * and pinned. If the call returns false, then the page will be unlatched and unpinned and 
+     * {@link #reconcile(ITupleReference)} will be called with the tuple that was not proceeded 
+     * on.
+     * 
+     * @param tuple the tuple that is being passed over by the search cursor
+     * @return true to proceed otherwise false to unlatch and unpin, leading to reconciliation
+     */
     public boolean proceed(ITupleReference tuple);
 
+    /**
+     * This method is only called on a tuple that was not 'proceeded' on 
+     * (see {@link #proceed(ITupleReference)}). This method allows an opportunity to reconcile 
+     * by performing any necessary actions before resuming the search (e.g. a try-lock may have 
+     * failed in the proceed call, and now in reconcile we should take a full (blocking) lock).
+     * 
+     * @param tuple the tuple that failed to proceed
+     */
     public void reconcile(ITupleReference tuple);
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
index e68c335..98fcf4a 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/dataflow/TreeIndexInsertUpdateDeleteOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@
                 }
                 tuple.reset(accessor, i);
 
-                modCallback.before(tuple);
                 switch (op) {
                     case INSERT: {
                         indexAccessor.insert(tuple);
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/NoOpOperationCallback.java b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/NoOpOperationCallback.java
index d7f7518..ee36f9f 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/NoOpOperationCallback.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/impls/NoOpOperationCallback.java
@@ -41,11 +41,6 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void commence(ITupleReference tuple) {
-        // Do nothing.        
-    }
-
-    @Override
     public void found(ITupleReference tuple) {
         // Do nothing.        
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
index eba7c12..322b8b0 100644
--- a/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
+++ b/hyracks-storage-am-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/rtree/impls/RTree.java
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
         ctx.splitKey.reset();
         ctx.splitKey.getLeftTuple().setFieldCount(cmpFactories.length);
         ctx.splitKey.getRightTuple().setFieldCount(cmpFactories.length);
-        ctx.modificationCallback.commence(tuple);
+        ctx.modificationCallback.before(tuple);
 
         int maxFieldPos = cmpFactories.length / 2;
         for (int i = 0; i < maxFieldPos; i++) {
diff --git a/hyracks-test-support/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/TestOperationCallback.java b/hyracks-test-support/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/TestOperationCallback.java
index 1858e6a..8189818 100644
--- a/hyracks-test-support/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/TestOperationCallback.java
+++ b/hyracks-test-support/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/common/TestOperationCallback.java
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void commence(ITupleReference tuple) {
-        // Do nothing.        
-    }
-
-    @Override
     public void found(ITupleReference tuple) {
         // Do nothing.        
     }