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How to Ask for an Extension on a Paper

While good planning and time management can help you get most papers done on time, there will be times when meeting the deadline becomes impossible, either because the paper still needs major revisions, or because life intervenes.

When this happens, it is important to know how to ask for an extension in the most effective way--especially for end-of-term papers that represent a large percentage of the final grade. Handled correctly, negotiating an extension of the final deadline can both give you the extra time you need to complete the assignment, and reinforce your image as a motivated, capable, and responsible writer.

Extensions can also reinforce some important principles of good writing: assessing your progress in between drafts, allocating time for revision, and incorporating readers' responses into the process.

Seven Suggestions:

Before you ask for the extension, understand why you need it. What do you need to do to complete the assignment, and how much time will it take?

Ask for the extension as soon as possible; this makes it planning ahead rather than just making excuses. Last-minute requests give the instructor no room for negotiation, and the answer is more likely to be either a flat no or a grudging yes.

Be prepared to give an accurate and concise summary of what you've done so far, and what still needs to be done. (If they don't ask, you don't have to tell, but a straightforward account sounds much better than "Um, er, well...")

Don't underestimate the time you need: if you need a week, or a weekend, to make the necessary additions and changes, promising to get it done by the next day is counterproductive.

On the other hand, work within what's reasonable: if the instructor has already set a "late" due date, an extra 6, 12, or 24 hours may be all you can negotiate for. (It makes sense to think ahead when you get the assignment: what will you do if you need an extension?)

Speak to the instructor in person, if possible. (However, phone calls are okay as long as they're not last-minute phone calls...and be sure you know the instructor's policy on calling him or her at home!)

DON'T BEG. Instead of asking the instructor for a "favor," make your request for an extension an alternative solution to a problem you both share: how to deliver the best possible paper to the instructor in a timely fashion, so that he or she can assess your progress as fully and fairly as possible. You needed time to write the paper; they'll need time to read it. So be prepared to give a little.