This study investigates the impacts of task characteristics on multiple text integration (MTI) among university students. The theory underlying the investigation is the four-step cross-textual framework proposed by List et al. (2021), which provides a detailed description of how MTI readers identify, process, link, and elaborate on the cross-textual connections across texts. This guides the examination of the influences of task goals (argumentative and summarising tasks), cross-textual links (conflicting and consistent links), and the interplay between these two task factors in mediating MTI processing. A 2 x 2 factorial design was employed to examine the effects of Task Goals, Cross-textual Links, and their interactions on MTI processing among 24 Year 1/Year 2 undergraduates. Each participant completed two reading tasks while their eye movements were recorded using the EyeLink 1000 eye tracker. Immediately after each reading task, the participants verbalised their integration processes, prompted by a replay of their eye movements on the screen and a series of eliciting questions. The findings suggested that task goals had a strong impact on MTI processes. The data triangulation shows that participants in the argumentative task condition used a greater variety of deeper-level strategies at a greater frequency compared to those completing summarising tasks. On the other hand, there were only subtle differences in MTI processing between the conflicting and consistent link conditions from a within-group design. The minor difference found was that the participants dealing with conflicting information engaged in an additional elaborative strategy – conflict resolution – which might be attributed to the nature of this intertextual link. A Two-Way Mixed Design ANOVA analysis showed no interaction between the two experimental factors, emphasising the unique influence of task goals on MTI reasoning, independent of the levels of the link types, and vice versa. The findings from this study contribute to the expansion of current MTI theories by providing nuanced details about the types of strategies used across various task settings. It also emphasises the significant influence of goal setting on cross-textual links, which is being independent of cross-textual links. It further suggests that argumentative tasks may be more MTI-facilitative than summarising tasks. This lays the foundation for the reflection and improvement of pedagogical approaches, aiming at the timely development of MTI literacy for academic success among university students. Furthermore, the study advocates for a more dynamic approach to investigating MTI reasoning using concurrent methods (i.e., eye-tracking triangulated with IRTA protocols) to effectively capture real-time reading processes, rather than relying solely on outcome-oriented tasks, such as essay writing.