Randall, I can really relate to the challenges that you face. On one hand, it's nice to be able to give students plenty of time to complete assignments so they can do a detailed job. On the other, when they wait until the very last minute to submit their work, this can make our lives hard. I recommend continuing to give students plenty of time, but building in grading incentives for early delivery. Extra credit and the like are powerful motivators that can stagger the grading that's coming into your queue.
Dr. Melissa Read
