How should a work with more than two authors and fewer than six authors be cited in-text after the initial citation?

The correct choice provides a clear and concise guideline rooted in APA style for citing works with multiple authors. In APA format, for a work with more than two authors but fewer than six authors, the first citation in the text requires mentioning all authors' surnames. This allows readers to immediately identify all contributors to the work being referenced.

For subsequent citations, using the surname of the first author followed by "et al." simplifies the citation and avoids redundancy, which enhances readability. This practice is important in academic writing as it maintains clarity while also streamlining the text for the reader, who may not need to hear every author's name repeatedly after the initial reference.

The reasoning behind this guideline is to balance the need for proper attribution of authorship with the practicality of reading and understanding texts. It reflects the principles of respect for intellectual contributions while also facilitating ease of access to the information cited.