i have to do my literature review and its getting on my nerves - i have totally lost motivation - i was not like this last year for my bsc - i used to work all hours just to get work done. I dont know anymore how to tackle this. I honestly feel at my wits end. I think the probelm is that the only deadlines i have are informal...! Argh. Oh yeh - howmany wordss are ur literature reviews?

The final version of the lit review in my (science) thesis was 14,000 words, 51 pages of A4 (double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman) including references (about 200). I think mine was probably longer than average though, my project was multidisplinary and there was lots to cover.

Hi there EatingElephants!
Literature Reviews are difficult in the first year of PhD. Firstly, you have yet to really define the parameters of your research and second, and more importantly, you are settling into a whole new way of working (particularly if you are going straight from BSc to PhD). This is NORMAL. I found the first year to be the toughest...thing is to read what you enjoy and try out new literatures. By the time you start your fieldwork and have some results, suddenly the lit will fall into place...'eureka...I see where my work fits etc.'. First year is the time to really indulge in reading and the lit...enjoy! This is fun!
Good luck!

eatingelephants, I'm aiming for around the 11,000 mark. I really dont want to do it and its ruining my motivation for everything :(

Hopefully once its out the way, everything will be better :)

Poor you. I understand how you feel completely. I have just finished a first draft of my literature review, ( am 8 months into my 1st year) & I was ready to throw the f***ing computer or document out the window at one point before Christmas. That & my proposal which my supervisors get me to re-write every month, changing the aims & objectives to the point that I have almmost come full circle with a proposal pretty close to the one I sent them when I applied for an interview! It is very fustrating , but it seems to be normal. Lots of other people have told me similar storeis.
What I wanted to say Eggplant Eater, is that I took 2 & half weeks off at Xmas and did not touch the thing, nor read a single academic text. Perhaps give yourself a little distance even if it is 48hours. I came back able to proof read & make adjustments again & even found what I had written quite interesting!
Good luck.

Oops you eat ELEPHANTS, not eggplants. Must be terrible on your tummy!

hahaha thanks for the advice people.
Regarding the name - its to od with the following quote:
''A PhD is like eating an elephant: you have to do it a bit at a time' ;-)

Me too- was getting fed up with mine as well! And I like doing them as well and I never had any trouble before! Thought it was never going to end! It was long as well but had alot to cover.

I nearly gave up when I had to re-write my proposal and keep on working with the lit.review. I still dont know if I can go through with the proposal cause I am fed up with it and completely lost the confidence in it. during X mas it was either drop out or write something that was banging on my mind. Sometimes it was more to do with the drop-out theme than writing the review. I was such a motivated person in my MSc and always liked searching for papers and completing things at least a day before the deadlines. But now I am dragging the deadlines and feel like a confined patient in a hospital. Hows that for a depressed case ?

I am in an even worse position. I have no idea of question or direction my work is going. Difficult to explain but my supervisor has requested I complete a report that encompasses a broad topic. I see his reasoning. It will ensure I fully understand the topic. However, I am feeling it is either too difficult to condense as there is so much info or to difficult to elaborate as I would be merely skimming the surface. Argh! Do you agree that I am in a worse position?