Well it has beaten me. I am going home to sleep because my head has stopped working. Going to be up nice and early in the morning. Probably best thing to do I think.

Well I suppose another point to take away from the anecdote is that you are never fully aware of what is expected of you until you submit work. Therefore, this exercise will definately prove worthwhile for the feedback I get and it has increased my knowledge of the area 10 fold.
Still at office! Scary times!

Well it has come to it. I am staying the night in the office to get this completed. I will be staying up through the night to get it done. My biggest problem is I leave everything to the last minute and I am worried that i can not do a PhD in this way. So, once this work is in, I will make a conscious effort to start having a bit more consistency. I may be being a bit hard on myself because I have been working on this report flat out for two weeks now (plus previous reading). It may be that I just up the tempo when things are not going to plan. What are your thoughts? Am I going mad?

I would have to meet Elvis.
What a legend!

Second to him would be Mohammed Ali.

All I have done the past few days is moan to my girlfriend on the phone. Declared I was going to quit at one stage but I have not quit anything in my life so far and dont intend to start now. The point about feeling like a fraud is absolutely true. I often feel this way when people ask what I am doing as I am still unsure of a research question (but I am slowly building up knowledge of area which I hope I can begin to analyse for gaps).
Thanks for the words of wisdom though folks, it does make you feel more comfortable in the knowledge that others have felt the same way.
I am considering staying overnight in the office to get this report finished by friday. What are your opinions on that?
Cheers

Thanks InRush, it is surprising what a good nights sleep can do! I am now ready to fight this thing to the bitter end and if I am told it is not good enough then at least I gave it a shot.
(These feelings are likely to change in the next hour mind you. I will keep you posted)
Cheers

I have serious doubts about whether or not I am good enough to complete this PhD. I have work to be handed in on friday (it is now early hours of wednesday morning) and I am struggling with it. Have arranged numerous meetings with supervisor but conversations seem to be cryptic. I have been working flat out on this work for some time but it really is getting me down. I cant remember the last time I was this depressed and Im only 4 months into the PhD. Please advise?

I have been asked to complete a report on my research area. However, I am struggling to identify how to balance the descriptive side of the report with current issues and theories? (If this makes any sense!) I realise I need to be descriptive to introduce the area but where is the line drawn? This is the first report and I want it to set a good impression.

Yes I see why people would not want to indicate the precise nature of their research. However, like the last few replies, I just wanted to know the general fields that people were from.

Thanks Ann that explains that one. I only raised the question to see if i could find somebody else in my field.

Can somebody explain why this question has had no replies? Have I crossed an unwritten boundary by asking what topic everyone is looking into? Please inform.

Yeah I find alot of my day is filled with the e mailing etc and not reading or writing. I think on average I must only do a couple of hours a day.

My research is psycholingusitic in nature. How about the rest of you. It would be nice to find someone who is doing something in the same area as I am the only one in the University looking into this discipline.

Cheers

Dont you find you work better under pressure though? I do. Good luck.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have 7 days left now and not a thing written. I had an emergency meeting with supervisor to clear up what I should include. I think I know the direction now so its a case of working real hard now up to deadline and hoping the work is good enough.
Cheers