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Efficient, Effective Online Research
Research Basics #9 - Dorraine Zief Law Library Handout
Follow these
tips to reduce the time you spend preparing for and conducting Lexis and Westlaw
research, and to control the cost of that research in non-law-school settings.
These tips can also help you assess your familiarity with Lexis and Westlaw
search techniques. If you know how to do most of the following, you're on your
way to becoming an expert in online research.
For more information about any tip, consult: your local research experts,
the Zief Library reference librarians, at 415-422-6773; or the vendors' written
documentation; or the search experts at the vendors' toll-free numbers: 800-45-LEXIS
(800-455-3947) or 800-REF-ATTY (800-733-2889).
Prepare before going online
A few extra minutes
spent in preparation can save much more time later.
-
Begin
with books — especially secondary sources …
… if
you need a quick overview of the topic;
… if
you are dealing with broad concepts or very common words.
-
Learn
the terminology associated with your issue or topic
Be aware of
terms of art, acronyms, synonyms, and related words.
-
Be able
to state your issue in one concise sentence
A one-sentence
issue statement will be the basis for any search you create. It is premature
to go online until you have drafted this statement.
-
Draft
your search before you sign on
If you'd
like advice, consult: a librarian; the written documentation; or the search
experts available via Lexis's and Westlaw's toll-free numbers.
Zief Law
Library reference librarians are available at 415-422-6773.
Lexis help is available at 800-45-LEXIS (800-455-3947).
Westlaw help is available at or 800-REF-ATTY (800-733-2889).
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Use field⁄segment
searching for increased precision
Fields (Westlaw)
and segments (Lexis) let you search for words that you know will only occur
in certain parts of a document, such as the name of a case or the title
of an article. Librarians can advise you on field/segment searching. It
is also covered in the vendors' documentation.
-
Select
an appropriate database⁄source to search
Criteria
to consider include: jurisdiction; date range; topic(s) covered. Pick the
narrowest possible database to avoid having to screen out unwanted documents
once you're online.
[If you're
already online, you can check the coverage of a database before entering
your search. On Westlaw, click the scope icon (the small "i" in
a tan circle). On Lexis, click the source description link — a small
"i" in a tan square.
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Have a
plan for what to do if your initial search results aren't what you expected
Will you
revise your search? Try another database? Sign off and rethink your strategy?
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Know your
pricing plan and how to exploit it
Law schools
pay a flat annual fee for Lexis and Westlaw access. Firms, courts, and government offices enjoy a variety
of pricing plans. Your librarian or vendor's representative can both explain
the pricing plan and teach you how, given that plan, to conduct the most
cost-effective searches.
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Make the most of your
time online
-
Browse
online but read offline
Reading from
print materials is quicker and more comfortable for most people.
-
Print
a list of citations to annotate while you browse
This will
save you from having to write down citations longhand, and will serve as
a record of documents you've looked at.
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Use "locate"
(Westlaw) and "focus" (Lexis) to narrow your search results
These commands let you search within your search results. Only the results of
your original search will be searched for the new terms that you select.
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Use "Find"
on Westlaw or "Get a Document" on Lexis when you know the name
of the case or citation of the document you want to retrieve
These commands
let you retrieve known documents without having to choose a database
or create a search. If you just know the party name, click "Find a Case
by Party Name" on the left-hand side of the Westlaw screen. On Lexis, click
"Get a Document," then click the "Party Name" tab.
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Use "History"
on Lexis to return to old searches for up to 30 days. Use "Research
Trail" on Westlaw to return to old searches for 14 days (or more).
The "Research
Trail" feature on Westlaw also allows users to reset the expiration
dates of trails so that they can be kept beyond 14 days.
To store
Lexis searches for longer than 30 days, use the "Alerts" feature.
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Keep a
record of each search you perform
Printing
screens summarizing your searches and results lets you keep track of your
research and can help you or others trouble-shoot unsatisfactory searches.
On Westlaw,
select the "Research Trail" link. Use the print command on your
browser to print the resulting page. (You may also download or email Westlaw
Research Trails.)
On Lexis,
select the "History" link, then the "View Printable History"
link.
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Sign off
and rethink your approach if you run into unexpected trouble
Print a record
or summary of your search and consult a librarian or vendor's search expert
for advice on reformulating or redirecting your search.
Ready to start your online research?
Authorized law school subscribers may …
Sign on to Lexis now.
Sign on to Westlaw now.
Go to Law Library Research Guides
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