Final answer:
In-text citations in APA style characteristically include the author's name, year of publication, and page numbers. The correct answer to the student's question about the characteristics of an in-text citation would include references to these elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
In-text citations are crucial elements in academic writing, allowing readers to find the source material for any facts, ideas, or quotations you have included in your work. Characteristics of an in-text citation according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) include the author's name(s), year of publication, and page numbers when applicable. For example, if a source has just one author, you would format it like this within your text: (Author's Last Name, Year, p. Page Number).
The options given in the question correspond to different scenarios, such as having one author (75), two authors (76), and so on, up to personal communication (85). Considering the characteristics and examples mentioned, such as the citation for one author, it appears that the correct answer would be the one including one author, page numbers, and authors with the same last name since those are fairly standard pieces of information included in APA citations. Therefore, combinations including numbers 75, 77, and 78 would be characteristic of APA in-text citations.