Abstract
This article reports the main results of a think-aloud protocol study inquiring into reading strategy use and self-perception of first-year English studies and teacher trainee majors when reading academic texts in their L2. The verbal protocol was combined with a short follow-up interview and the SORS test to identify the findings and highlight any possible correlations between the three datasets. The results suggest that students have a general preference for metacognitive strategies, and the findings appear to show a certain degree of consistency across different types of data. The most frequently used and reported strategies included guessing from context, re-reading, use of external resources, and self-evaluation.