PhD
Thesis in Department of Mechanical Engineering at UKZN : S. Shaikh
961129282
2007-04-24
The Chairman
Higher Degrees Committee
University of kwaZulu-Natal
Durban
kwaZulu-Natal
PhD Thesis in Department of Mechanical Engineering at UKZN : S. Shaikh
961129282
Comparison
Comparing the journal paper entitled :
Refined theory for the analysis of laminated orthotropic
structures
by authors P.Y. Tabakov, V.E. Verijenko and B. Verijenko, Composite
Structures 62 (2003) 435-441,
is attached.
The portions outlined in red PDF markings are identical to the thesis.
Analysis
1.Pg 2/8 second sentence of first paragraph of
Introduction of Paper is word-for-word identical to second sentence of
second paragraph of Pg 1 of Thesis.
2.Pg 3/8 third sentence of second paragraph Paper is
word-for-word identical to third paragraph of Pg 10 of Thesis.
3.Pg 5/8 last paragraph of first column of Paper is
word-for-word identical to first paragraph of Pg 165 of Thesis.
4.Fig. 1 Page 3/8 of the paper is identical
to Figure 4.1 Page 131 of the Thesis.
5.The Conclusions on Page 8/8 of the Paper
are almost identical to the Introduction of Chapter 4 on Page 130
of the Thesis and to the Abstract on Page i of the Thesis.
6.The first sentence of Conclusions on Page
8/8 of the Paper is identical to the first sentence of Section 4.4 Summary
of Chapter 4 on Pg 184 of the Thesis.
7.11 out of 14 of the paper's Reference documents are
identical to those in the Bibliography of the thesis.
8.9 out of 14 of the paper's Reference documents quote the
identical page numbers as do to those in the Bibliography of the thesis.
9.The thesis was submitted in November 2002.
10.The paper was published in 2003.
11.Both the paper and the thesis claim the formulation of
the higher order theory regarding composite structures subjected to both
mechanical and thermal loading.
12.The paper does not cite the thesis.
13.The only publication of Shaik cited by the paper is Item
[13] which is identical to Item [95] of the thesis and is dated 1999 which is in
any case co-authored by Tabakov and Verijenko V.
Conclusions
1.It is impossible for two authors to use exactly the
same wording unless there is close collaboration and one uses the formulations
of the other.
2.The candidate Shaik has averred in the Declaration that
his "dissertation is my own unaided work except where due acknowledgement is
made to others".
3.In a PhD thesis such close collaboration and the failure
to specifically cite and acknowledge the contributions of others is
unacceptable.
4.In a PhD thesis where there is any level of collaboration
it is crucial to clearly and unambiguously state what is one's own contribution
and what are the contributions of others.
5.It is logical that either Tabakov, Verijenko V and
Verijenko B plagiarised Shaik or vice versa.
6.The main claim of Tabakov, Verijenko V and Verijenko B in
their journal paper seems to be identical to the main claim of the thesis, i.e.
the derivation of the higher-order theory pertaining to the responses of
composite structures to simultaneous mechanical and thermal loading.