[Pmb (OP)]

We all have our favorite subjects that we love to discuss in these forums. Mine was thesubject of the concep of mass. A long time ago when the forum Ask Dr. Neutrino was still operating people used to ask about the velocity dependance of mass. This mass,aka inertial mass, is sometimes referred to as "relativistic mass."

I always knew that the inertial mass of a particle was a function of speed and that some people prefered to use the term "mass" to mean proper mass, or what is more commonly known as rest mass. Well alot of people get pissed off when you explain the nature of relativistic mass. They think that itsan "outdated" term and as such you shouldn't talk about it. Some people will even attempt to flame you off the internet if you insist on holding the view that its still a idea which is stilll used and that it can be useful.

To get a better idea of mass  decided to learn general relativity (GR) in addition to special relativity. After I learned GR I studied the concept of mass in all its glory and then wrote an article on it. I submitted it to the American Journal of Physics for publication. There's nothing wrong with the aritcle. It's just a subject that they're no longer interested in publishing articles on. So I placed it online here  http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.0687 for the public to read. Someday I'll rewrite it and submit it to another journal.

However, in the meantime, someone took that article from that website and made it a chapter in their book which they entitled "Scientific Writings." I gotta tell ya. I never imagined myself writing anything that would apear in a book. But to have it stonlen from me and published without my permission and given no credit is pretty hurtful. That article took an enormous amount of work and study to write. I even had to go ut and learn R before I wrote it.

Funny though. Had not so many people tried to quell my voice on the subject then my voice would never have made it into a book and made louder. You have to admit that that makes the whole thing pretty funny! LOL!!

[CliffordK]

Weird,

I I don't think downloadable stuff is considered "Free" for taking without at least acknowledging the source and author.

Many books have chapters submitted by various authors, with the names of the authors listed with the chapter, or at least somewhere with a list of authors and acknowledgments. 

This is published hardcopy?
If I was you, contact the publisher directly and see what they have to say.

[Pmb (OP)]

Weird,

I I don't think downloadable stuff is considered "Free" for taking without at least acknowledging the source and author.

Many books have chapters submitted by various authors, with the names of the authors listed with the chapter, or at least somewhere with a list of authors and acknowledgments. 

This is published hardcopy?
If I was you, contact the publisher directly and see what they have to say.

I contacted the published. They didn't really have anything to say. I don't think they wanted to say something that they'd regret. they scanned the chapter in and e-mailed it to me. I looked it over and sure enough, its my article. Everything about it is mine inluding tables I created to track the usage of the terms and reasongings behing not using rel-mass. I think that they know that the authr plagerized me now. I showed them the article online. They said thatthe author was willing to talk to me. Talk about what? He plagerized me! He didn't even try to reword it! He changed a symbol here and there, but when he did he made errors! LOL! I'm looking for a lawyer right now.

[CliffordK]

Do you have the whole book?  Ask the publisher to send you a free copy of the entire book (I wouldn't pay for your own work).

I'd encourage you to do an internet search for key tables and paragraphs in other chapters too.

There are anti-plagiarism software resources too.  But, simply typing in a paragraph and searching would likely be sufficient.

You said the title was "Scientific Writings", which could indicate articles from multiple authors, but still that doesn't make it acceptable to publish without at least acknowledging the author, and making at least a minimal attempt to contact him or her.

[Pmb (OP)]

Do you have the whole book?  Ask the publisher to send you a free copy of the entire book (I wouldn't pay for your own work).

I sent for a copy.

I'd encourage you to do an internet search for key tables and paragraphs in other chapters too.

It's my understanding, from what I read on Amazon, that the entire book is plagerized.

You said the title was "Scientific Writings", which could indicate articles from multiple authors, but still that doesn't make it acceptable to publish without at least acknowledging the author, and making at least a minimal attempt to contact him or her.

I agree 100%

[CliffordK]

You certainly need to read the title page, acknowledgments, forward, preface, and etc as printed in the book.

While there is a role for editors to make scientific compilations, typically it can't be done without the author's consent, and certainly shouldn't be done without naming the contributors.

I would write the publisher (snail mail writing), and make sure they put a hold on the royalties for this book as well as Mr. Durrani's other book as soon as possible (assuming there are any).  Emphasize that the publisher may be liable for any royalties distributed after the letter is sent.

I would think that one seventeenth of the royalties should be sent to each author EXCEPT Mr. Durrani, including one seventeenth of those royalties already distributed.

A credit page (or chapter heading credits) should be added, and every published book needs an errata page added.

The publisher may voluntarily make the changes, otherwise, you might emphasize to them in your letter that you would also seek compensation for legal assistance.

I will admit that sometimes it is difficult to find authors.  There was a children's story published in newspapers by the AP in the 70's and 80's.  I've looked up the author's name online with lots of hits, but I can't be sure if he is one.  I wrote to the AP, and didn't get much of a response back.  I did find someone with the same name listed as the editor of a newspaper somewhere, but at least the staff members that responded to me didn't recognize the story.

[CliffordK]

The Cornell website from your link above clearly has a publication date which predates the original manuscript submission date listed above.

(Submitted on 5 Sep 2007 (v1), last revised 6 Sep 2007 (this version, v2))

The US Copyright law is pretty clear giving you copyright protection, even if it wasn't registered.  You probably will still have to file for a copyright, and the sooner the better.

It would be complicated if you had published the document as "public domain", but I don't see that represented in the document, or the Cornell website.

If I was you, I would also try to contact the other 15 authors from the book your work was published in, plus the authors you can find from other Durrani books (and papers?).

Oh...
I found Ijaz Ur Rahman Durrani's Resume

listing in the resume

sole author "Scientific Writings" (2009) M/s Melrosebooks/UK Vol:--- pp:171- (Book)

He is apparently a very prolific author.

Being in Pakistan could complicate issues.  Nonetheless, if he is using major US and European publishers for his books and papers, then the publishers would have to be bound by US Copyright law.

I suppose at this point, talking to an (international) copyright lawyer wouldn't hurt, depending on how you wish to deal with this.

Another option is to write to the University of Gujrat.  I don't know how things are done in Pakistan, but I have to imagine that a tenure professor would get fired for plagiarism in the USA no matter the person's position in the university, and likely would have difficulties finding additional academic work in the USA.

[Pmb (OP)]

Thanks. I think that the main problem is that I can't afford to sue him. I can't imagine why he thought it'd be okay to publish my paper as his own. Surely he knows enough about physics to write his own article on mass. Although one needs a good understanding of the use of the stress-energy-momentum tensor and and general relativity

[CliffordK]

If you can approach the problem with a united front of 16+ authors, you would be able to share the cost of prosecution.

However, I think it may be too complicated to go after the author in Pakistan through the court system.

You would likely be much better off going after the Publisher (Melrose) which would have money, as well as the royalties.  They would also be able to either pull the book off the market, or to add appropriate attribution and fixing the references.

If you don't anticipate getting royalties, you could also ask Amazon, and any other vendors to pull all of Durrani's works.

I would certainly also send letters to the University of Gujrat, perhaps from each of the plagiarized authors if you could be in touch with them. 

Filing a suit as pro-se can be less than $500, but can be complicated and frustrating.  It would also be more complicated with multiple interested parties.  Sometimes just the threat of legal action would be enough to get businesses like Melrose to take notice, as undoubtedly they would spend more to defend the suit than the actual payout, or actions desired.

As to why this happened?
As you know, the academic world puts a lot of emphasis on publications. 
While a few thousand in royalties may not be significant in the USA, they may be very significant in Pakistan. 
It is easier to let someone else do the work, especially if the fields of publication are quite varied.
I would wonder if it is difficult for 3^rd world authors to get published in English journals due to difficulties with the language.

[JP]

Thanks. I think that the main problem is that I can't afford to sue him. I can't imagine why he thought it'd be okay to publish my paper as his own. Surely he knows enough about physics to write his own article on mass. Although one needs a good understanding of the use of the stress-energy-momentum tensor and and general relativity

Check out this publication on his CV: "On the concept of mass and relativity" (2010) BPAS Vol:30D(1) pp:23-39 (Journal)

I picked another article of his at random and Googled the title.  It also appears to be plagiarized off of arXiv.

What I would do, in addition to contacting publishers, is to find out if he's published any other plagiarized work in respectable, peer-reviewed journals.  Then point out the plagiarism to the editorial boards, and hope they follow up on it.

[CliffordK]

I believe that BPAS is an abbreviation for Bulletin of Pure & Applied Sciences, and Indian journal, which he seems to use quite a bit.

Comparing journal titles may not be 100% specific, so one would have to actually dig up both the Indian, and the American/European articles and compare them.

If plagiarism is discovered with published articles in mainstream journals, it is quite possible that the journal the article was first published in would be interested in the fraud. 

For example, "Breakdown of Zakharov-Shabat Theory and Soliton Creation", Newell et al, was first published in Physical Review Letters.

This seems like pretty wholesale fraud, but it is also possible that nobody will have large enough stake in anything to really care.  Although, I can't imagine that an Indian journal would choose to publish fraudulent research if they would hope for international recognition.

[Pmb (OP)]

This has made me sick to my stomach! If I proceed with it I could ruin a man's career. If I let it go he'll get credit for things he never did and it now appears that he's been doing a lot of it.

[CliffordK]

He is not a scientist if he is plagiarizing. 

If you were an advisor for a graduate student that turned in not one, but multiple papers that were 99% plagiarized copies of other people's work, what would you do?

Would you suggest your university invite him to a conference to speak about his research?

This clown is claiming to be a "Director, Faculty of Sciences".  No university that I know of would want a plagiarist as a director of anything.  Probably not even as a director of janitorial services as legitimate faculty members wouldn't be comfortable with a plagiarist entering their offices after hours without supervision.

If promotions are based on publications, and he hasn't published anything, then he wouldn't deserve any of the promotions he has received.

I would be curious to see his thesis and dissertation work.

Some countries turn a "blind eye" to corruption.  I have no idea what would happen to him.  I just can't believe that other faculty members, or publishers hadn't noticed this.

[yor_on]

Ouch Pete. No pleasant way about it I'm afraid. Why would he ever do such a thing in the first case? Sounds like a need for recognition somehow? And yeah, it will probably ruin his reputation. Have you seen any original work from him, using your and other works? And did it make sense if so? Not that it excuses anything, but then he has done something of his own at least. And I won't tell you what to do, because I find it as hard as you do to decide what is right.

[yor_on]

Looking at his resume I find it quite breath taking
If this is the correct person you had in mind, that is.

Awhh Pete, you won't win that one, not in Pakistan any way Assuming that his job titles are correct, or that he has dough to spend, even though his publications aren't, then his possible downfall will involve a lot of other interests as a guess. Maybe write him and say that you would like to correct his mistakes in your text, also that you expect recognition as the original publisher of it. In the case of other falsifications I don't know? Contact them and inform that you think they've been plagiarized?

A lot of work that, but yeah, I would start with the publisher(s) too maybe?
==

The point being that I first thought of it as a book solely, but reading all those job descriptions it escalates for me and makes it so much harder to ignore. But you have to make up your own mind on this, and also really need to consider the amount of work involved in getting it corrected. It will be more than what you expect.

[Bored chemist]

This has made me sick to my stomach! If I proceed with it I could ruin a man's career. If I let it go he'll get credit for things he never did and it now appears that he's been doing a lot of it.

He has a career as a thief.
There's nothing wrong with ruining that.

[lean bean]

Is this your man?

“Dr. Durrani alone is responsible for what he has done and not his colleagues, University of Gujrat, HEC etc… HEC has NEVER condoned any act of plagiarism anywhere.”

Ijaz Durrani's recent case of plagiarism is the result of ignoring, if not condoning, by the academic community, academic institutions and HEC of a long list of such cases by other individuals and institutions, including his earlier case of plagiarism at Punjab University. Ignoring such malpractices and continuing to associate with such individuals and institutions has led to this shocking state of affairs.

http://www.viewpointonline.net/a-letter-to-hec-on-fake-journals.html

[CliffordK]

Why was an individual who had earlier resigned from the University of the Punjab on plagiarism charges inducted into a senior faculty position and made a Director at GU and an HEC approved PhD supervisor?

To date one hears that Dr Durrani has resigned,

I'm not seeing a list of professors, but the University of Gujrat website lists Prof Dr Muhammad Faheem Malik, Director (Dean) Faculty of Sciences. 

So, at least at this time, Mr, Durrani is not the Director of Sciences.  One has to assume he actually held that position at some time.

The Durrani resume says it was last updated November 08, 2012 which is fairly recent.  However, it doesn't list any 2012 publications by date, with the most recent publications being in 2011.

Anyway, I have no doubt that his academic career is already unraveling, with, or without your help.

[yor_on]

Incredible stuff guys.
The wild west of eh, (sort of) physics, maybe?

How the he* did Pakistan ever manage to make a Atom bomb, if this is the academic standard.

[CliffordK]

How the he* did Pakistan ever manage to make a Atom bomb, if this is the academic standard.

All they needed to do was copy someone else's work.