The purpose of this resarch was to develop a model of verbal information processing for use in subsequent analyses of the construct and predictive validity of the current Department of Defense military selection and classification battery, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) 8/9/10. The theory and research methods of selected verbal information processing paradigms are reviewed. Work in factor analytic, information processing, chronometric analysis, componential analysis, and cognitive correlates psychology is discussed. The definition and measurement of cognitive processing operations, stores, and strategies involved in performance on verbal test items and test-like tasks is documented. Portions of the reviewed verbal processing paradigms are synthesized and a general model of text processing is presented. The verbal processing model serves as a conceptual framework for the subsequent identification and assessment of cognitive processing contributions to performance on the verbal subtests of ASVAB 8/9/10. (Author/PRN)