Thanks guys! I'm assuming the examiners look for a number of things from the thesis/viva - that the student displays knowledge of the area they are studying, the work is original, and it is a contribution to knowledge. If you have published from your thesis doesnt this mean that the thesis does cover these things? As I've mentioned this below, I know that papers are not essential criteria for passing a PhD, I know plenty of people who passed no problem without publishing, but I still think I need more work done to my own thesis and If the quality of my work is doubted by the examiners I intend to use this argument, but how many papers make it a good argument?