PhD Thesis in Department of Mechanical Engineering at UKZN : S. Shaikh 961129282
 

2007-05-07

The Chairman
Higher Degrees Committee
University of kwaZulu-Natal
King George V Avenue
Glenwood
Durban
kwaZulu-Natal
 

PhD Thesis in Department of Mechanical Engineering at UKZN : S. Shaikh 961129282
 
Comparison

Comparing the attached journal paper (the Paper) entitled :
A three-dimensional analysis of laminated orthotropic plates
 
by author P.Y. Tabakov
         [2005]


to the Thesis entitled :
Development of higher-order theories for the analysis of laminated composite structures under static and thermal loading
submitted by S. Shaik in November 2002,
 
I find as follows :

Paper - Thesis

1.      Pp 454 to 461 (8 A4 pages) Sections 1 to 8 of Paper almost word-for-word identical to Pp 65 to 110 (46 A4 pages) of Chapter 3 of Thesis.

2.      Pg 454 Fig. 1. of Paper identical to Figure 3.1 Pg 68 of Thesis.

3.      Pg 460 Fig. 2. of Paper identical to Figure 3.3 Pg 105 of Thesis.

4.      Pg 461 Fig. 3. of Paper identical to Figure 3.4 Pg 107 of Thesis.

5.      Pg 462 Fig. 4. of Paper identical to Figure 3.5 Pg 108 of Thesis.

6.      In certain instances, variable identifiers in the mathematics of the Paper are different to those used in the Thesis, but the equations are identical.


Conclusions

1.      Most of the journal paper has been regurgitated in the Thesis, primarily into Chapter 3 thereof.

2.      This finding is entirely congruent with my initial written opinion dated 28 March 2007 that :
"The overall thesis appears to be more like a concatenation of two or three journal papers authored over a period of time by a group of professional academic researchers in the field of strength of materials and then given to the candidate to wordprocess (and not very well besides) into a self-standing thesis."
3.      It is clear that the Thesis includes material previously drafted by other authors, in this case P. Y. Tabakov.

4.      The Paper was submitted for publication in 2005 over two years after the Thesis was submitted for examination.

5.      Chippy Shaik is neither an author of this Paper nor is his Thesis cited in the Paper.

6.      Chapter 3 of the Thesis contains the development of the higher-order theory relevant to thermal stresses and is the basis for a primary claim of the Thesis, i.e. the treatment of thermal stresses on laminated composite structures.

7.      The author of the Paper is acknowledged in the Thesis "for his assistance", yet the nature of such assistance is not divulged and where such assistance might be in the form of published text, apparently not cited.

8.      The author of the Paper, Dr P.Y.Tabakov, being a professional academic and specialist in the relevant field and not having cited Shaik's Thesis, is most probably the developer of the higher-order theory pertaining to thermal stresses which he claims in this Paper (plus other journal papers of a similar nature).

9.      Shaik is unlikely to be the developer (and certainly not the only or main developer) of the higher-order theory pertaining to thermal stresses which he claims in his Thesis.

10.     Prima facie the thesis is plagiarism of other people's work and the onus now rests to the candidate to prove otherwise. This would necessitate him proving that he was a contributor of the work behind the Paper and that such material was published elsewhere where he is cited as a contributing author.

11.     Beyond any reasonable doubt it can be concluded that this is not the own unaided work of the PhD candidate as attested in his declaration on Page ii of the Thesis.


Richard Young 
PrEng, MSc(Eng), PhD