A preliminary report surveying a series of basic studies on compressed tablets is presented. For procurement of data toward elucidation of tablet structure and behavior, tentative methods for determining (a)tablet density, (b) bulk density of the mixed ingredients, (c) porosity and pore size of tablets, and (d) the compressional force and compressional work necessary for formation of tablets have been developed. Other methods for obtaining additional dynamic and static information related to formation of tablets are also discussed. No attempt is made at this time, however, to correlate the data obtained with tablet performance.