There could be an automatic word count for each assignment, which would be a pretty objective way of showing the time put into it. People trying to get over the word limit by simply telling the same thing over and over again would not get extra rewards from the graders. If anybody thinks that they have not been awarded points they deserved (which is in this theory now regulated by the word count) then they would have the option to submit a complaint about it. And it wouldn't be possible for the graders to hand out extra rewards to everybody since the access to it would be limited by the word count as long as it's not met.