Research in text comprehension has provided details as to how text features
and cognitive processes interact in order to build comprehension
and generate meaning. However, there is no explicit link between the
cognitive processes deployed during text comprehension and their place in
higher-order cognition, as in problem solving. The purpose of this paper is
to propose a cognitive model in which text comprehension is made analogous to a problem solving situation and that relies on current research on well-known cognitive processes such as inference generation, memory, and simulations. The key characteristic of the model is that it explicitly includes the formulation of questions as a component that boosts representational power. Other characteristics of the model are specified and its extensions to basic and applied research in text comprehension and higher-order cognitive processes are outlined.
