Predatory Publishers by Muhammad Mujtaba Shaikh (published in THE NATION newspaper)

Original:

Unfortunately modern developments in research through Open-Access publishing, in spite of being a productive motive towards fast and authentic scientific publication, have also infiltrated the purity of publication ethics and hammered hard the so-called reliable peer-review system. Research community is on to a serious threat by predatory publishers and journals, the word first used in 2012 by Jeffery Beall (academic librarian at University of Colorado, USA). Their hidden slogan being, “Throw money and get your work published online”.

After the advent of open-access, black sheep of research and business community have instigated scam online publishers not having reliable editorial process and referral system for submitted manuscripts. They grab money from authors to publish their works without due peer-review process benefiting at large incomplete, duplicate, plagiarized and unscientific submissions to getting published quickly.

Mr. Beall claims invoking increase in fake publishers and fraud research journals. The climax of the rapidly growing callous practice follows by the fact that from 2012 to 2013, in just one year time span, the number rises from 23 to 225.

Many innocent and young researchers from developing countries, not having adequate exposure to such mal-practicing mafias, start their research career by submitting their work to such journals. However, many scholars intentionally publish their works with such circles in order to get bonus of academic up gradation.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) must take serious note of such publications. Though HEC has announced list of recognized journals but these predatory international journals need clear verdict for being completely banned. HEC should circulate official wording to all concerned institutes and universities highlighting the list of predatory publishers. Authorities should introduce strict scrutiny measures to discard and discourage predatory publications of scholars while academic up gradations and appointments to important posts. See the published at:
http://www.nation.com.pk/letters/14-Jan-2014/predatory-publishers

Get direct answers of math problems by a single mouse click!!!

It is often seen that most of Mathematicians when obtain some mathematical result, they think to verify it. Sometimes people are not interested in finding solution of mathematical problems by using different techniques manually , instead they just need the solution and its behaviour e.t.c. For Example: Someone may need solution of a third order system of linear algebraic equations without manually solving it!!!
In such situations one thinks of using some Mathematical softwares or packages which directly provide answers.
I have made some Mathematical Widgets available here which can be fruitful in this regard.
For example: If one needs:

• graph of a function in 2D or 3D (without spending time to manually plot it)
• solution of linear or non-linear equations and inequalities (without going to usual steps to get the same)
• to find determinant, inverse, eigen values and eigen vectors of a square matrix of order 3
• to solve a third order system of linear algebraic equations
• to evaluate limit at some point, derivative(upto tenth order)  and integral of a function
• to find area a under a curve within some finite range (definite integration)
• to find maxima and minima of functions of one or more variables
• to get Taylor's series development of a function about some point
• to plot Bessel's function of any order
• to get solution of a second order linear ordinary differential equation, its plot and Lagrangian
• to measure sample standard deviation
• to calculate coefficient of correlation
• to find linear regression line e.t.c 

then he/she can directly get the results by just a single click of mouse after inputting data.
I hope these widgets will help the followers of this Blog in this respect. I acknowledge those who really made these available on "wolframalpha.com". 

Graphing the functions

Graphing Techniques

"Knowlewdge, after sharing to others becomes Wisdom."

Most of people often think that their knowledge will be lost if it is shared with others. What I think is quite different. I believe, "Knowledge, after sharing to others becomes Wisdom". This is why I have shared not only the names of my favourite books of Mathematics, but have also provided way for others to use them and download them. Most of thirsty knowledge seekers of Mathematics search here and there and check out all the search engines for books on Mathematics; but few are those who actually find them. Most of them find online e-books but can not download them, because of certain limitations and Purchasing policies. Here is the solution for them. Here is the opportunity for them. Without any restriction, any one can see, use and download these books.

Knowledge and Wisdom

“To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.”



“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.”

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

“Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.”

Holy words of ALLAH

"Oh you who believe! Be careful of your duty to ALLAH and believe in His Apostle. He will give you two portions of His mercy (the good of this life and the good of the next). And He will make for you a light, with which you will walk. And He will forgive you; and for ALLAH is the Forgiving Merciful. So that the people of the book may know that they aught control of the grace of ALLAH and that grace is in ALLAH's hands, He gives it to whom He pleases'; and ALLAH is the lord of mighty Grace."