What is the definition of plagiarism in the context of cadet conduct?

• A. Using the words or work product of others without proper acknowledgment.
• B. Citing all sources in every case to avoid plagiarism.
• C. Quoting without quotation marks is allowed.
• D. Paraphrasing someone else’s ideas is always acceptable.

Answer: (A)

Plagiarism in cadet conduct means using someone else's words or work as if it were your own, without giving proper credit. This covers both copying exact language and presenting someone else’s ideas or results without attribution. In practice, you must attribute sources whenever you use them—use quotation marks for direct quotes and include a citation; when you paraphrase, restate the idea in your own words and still credit the source. In a cadet setting, honesty and integrity are essential, so failing to credit the original author undermines trust and can carry disciplinary consequences. For example, copying another cadet’s assignment or copying text from a book or website without citing it is plagiarism. The other statements aren’t sufficient: simply citing sources isn’t a complete safeguard if you present others’ words or ideas as your own, quoting without quotation marks is still dishonest, and paraphrasing without attribution is still plagiarism.