Ag-clad Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x tapes were fabricated by a powder-in-tube process. Transport critical current density (J c ) data were obtained at 4.2 K. X-ray diffraction data were used to quantify the texture of each superconductor core. The J c and texture data were related by a geometric model based on J c anisotropy within individual grains. The model, which fit the data well, is applicable to strongly linked superconductors only.