9 Approaches to Late and Missing Work Policies

A clear and transparent late work policy helps instructors set consistent expectations, which reduces confusion and potential disputes over deadlines. When the policy encourages students to communicate about delays, it fosters trust and accountability—students are more likely to reach out early if they anticipate problems. This not only helps instructors manage grading and course pacing more smoothly but also allows them to address individual circumstances fairly, support student success, and maintain a respectful, collaborative learning environment.

It’s also important to note that including an explanation of your extension policy within the late work policy is important because it makes the options for flexibility clear and accessible to students. Without it, students may not realize that extensions are possible or may feel unsure about how to request one, which can lead to unnecessary stress or unsubmitted work.

Here are some examples from instructors:

“If you anticipate that you will be submitting an assignment after the due date, please tell me ahead of time. I know you have lives and other classes to worry about, too, and I want you to prioritise your health, so I can generally be flexible. However, if you turn in an assignment over 2 days after the due date without informing me first, you will receive no written feedback. Instead, you are welcome to come to my office hours to receive verbal feedback.” —Sikose Mjali, ENGL131

“All deadlines in this course are “rolling.” This means you are given a three-day window to submit your assignment if you would like to receive feedback. For example, if the deadline is Friday and you submit on Tuesday, you will not receive feedback unless you communicate with me. If you submit your work after the third day and would still like feedback, it is your responsibility to contact me to schedule a time to discuss your paper.* If you need more time to complete an assignment, please contact me via your Canvas Inbox feature before the actual deadline. Please reach out if you are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of the class.” —Hunter Little, ENGL110

“Because you will be doing so much writing this quarter, the most effective way to be successful in this class is to stay on top of your assignments and turn them in on time. In order to make sure we are moving through the quarter as a collective, it is important that everyone is turning in assignments at the same time. If an assignment is turned in late you will lose participation credit. The portfolio—which is worth 70% of your grade—requires you to compile all of your written assignments for the quarter. It is much better to turn everything in complete the first time than be scrambling to complete past essays at the end of the quarter. If you are in fear of missing a deadline (or have already missed one) please reach out to me ASAP. You can email me, come to my office hours, or talk to me after class.” —Matthew Hitchman, ENGL121

“All formal assignments are due on Fridays by midnight. If you need an assignment extension, let me know at least twenty-four hours before the due date. Assignments that are turned in more than three days after their due date with no prior extensions are considered as late. I will not provide written feedback on late assignments unless in the case of disability accommodations, but you can get verbal feedback during in-class workshops or office hours. If you submit an assignment late, let me know so I can mark it for completeness, as I do not receive notifications for late assignments.” —Christina Shiea, ENGL182