Which strategy in critical reading involves understanding the researcher's purpose or intent?

The strategy that involves understanding the researcher's purpose or intent is comprehensive reading. This approach requires readers to gain a deep understanding of the entire study, including its objectives, hypothesis, and the significance of the research. It encourages readers to engage with the text fully, discerning not only the explicit content but also the underlying motivations behind the research. By grasping the researcher's purpose, readers can better appreciate the context and relevance of the findings, making more informed judgments about the validity and implications of the study.

In comprehensive reading, readers take note of how the research fits within existing knowledge, identifies gaps, and contributes to future investigations. This level of understanding is crucial for evaluating the work's contribution to the field and for applying the knowledge in practice.

The other strategies, such as preliminary reading, focus more on initial assessments and overview of the research rather than in-depth comprehension. Synthesis involves combining findings from multiple sources to construct new knowledge, and analysis deals with breaking down the content into smaller parts for detailed examination. Each of these strategies serves a different purpose in the research reading process, but comprehensive reading is specifically aligned with understanding the intention behind the research.