Does Lateness Hurt? Evidence From an Unlimited Grace Period Policy in Introductory Psychology

Abstract

Background: Flexible deadline policies are increasingly common in higher education, yet little research has explored how consistent late submissions affect outcomes when grace periods are unlimited. Objective: This study investigated whether consistent late submission predicts poorer performance in an online Introduction to Psychology course with no penalties for late assignments. Method: Students (n = 273) completed 20 assignments under an extension without penalty course policy that teaching assistants graded for completion, not accuracy. Results: Late submitters did not perform significantly worse than Early/On-Time peers on any exam, and over 75% earned passing grades. In contrast, Quit/Rarely Submitters had significantly lower Final Exam scores and final course averages, with large between-group effects. Conclusion: Among students who consistently submitted, lateness alone showed no relation to. Quitting or rarely submitting was a stronger predictor of poor outcomes than lateness. Teaching Implications: For students requiring extensions beyond 48 h, unlimited, non-penalizing grace periods may relate to improved course success. Instructors should consider policies that prioritize continued submissions over strict adherence to deadlines.