I graded the quizzes, which ranged from excellent to abysmal. Regarding the latter it was quite clear that some have done little if any of the reading. This is rapidly leading me to the conclusion that a final examination may be necessary to adequately evaluate students’ performance. 

Attendance has also come up as an issue. More than three unexcused absences means a no-pass in the attendance portion of the final grade. Looking at the roll sheet I see that quite a few people have already crossed this Rubicon. I would strongly recommend… well, not missing class.