EXPLORING LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT CRITICAL READING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION ON UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS' ANALYTICAL AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS

Critical reading strategies (CRSs) are crucial for developing students' understanding and analytical skills; yet, the durability and transferability of these strategies to multiple disciplines have not been widely researched. This study investigates how explicit instruction in CRSs develops the critical reading ability of undergraduate students, the determinants responsible for the durability of such skills, and the transferability of these strategies across different academic fields. Through a quasi-experimental longitudinal design, the research evaluated an experimental group that received CRS instruction along with a control group using pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a six-month follow-up test period. Standardized reading comprehension measures, analytical writing tasks, reflective essays, and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired t-tests and ANOVA, and qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Findings indicated that CRSs significantly improved comprehension (31% increase), yet long-term recall was less (12% at six months). Humanities students demonstrated greater CRSs transferability than STEM students, likely a result of the fact that their coursework involves frequent exposure to complex texts and argumentation. This provides more frequent opportunities to apply and consolidate these strategies across contexts, and adjustments have to be designed for each domain. It was concluded that a review of CRSs must be ongoing and part of the curriculum for successful long-term recall. These insights contribute to educational strategies that foster lifelong critical literacy across academic and professional contexts.