Plagiarism violates the student code of conduct and will result in a zero on assignments. It is considered dishonest because it involves stealing others' ideas and words without giving them credit. Properly citing sources acknowledges others' work, establishes credibility, allows readers to check sources, and creates a consistent format, thus helping avoid plagiarism. Students should know which citation style their instructors require, use style manuals and online guides to cite different source types, and ask instructors or librarians for help if confused.