Purpose of the Module: Response to Topic What does a teacher need to know about the nature of the Subject A Exam passage and prompt? What are the common structural features of the writing topic and corresponding writing tasks? The recapitulation The invitation The stipulation How do these three components comprise a writing prompt or topic? Examples of Writing Topics. Reading: "Group Minds" by Doris Lessing Reading: "Some Close Encounters of a Mental Kind" by Stephen Jay Gould Variations of Writing Topic Formats. Reading: Excerpt from Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life by Sissela Bok. Reading: "The Poets in the Kitchen" by Paule Marshall. Reading: Excerpt from Advertising the American Dream (titled "The Appeal of the Democracy of Goods") by Roland Marchand. What do I need to know to write an effective Subject A-like essay assignment? A. Select a passage similar to other Subject A passages B. Compose a topic, drawing on a Subject A exam topic format that seems especially suitable for the passage. Typically, C. Add a stipulation (specify what sources for developing their essays students should use). Most stipulations include the student's experience, observation of others, or reading.