UIUC Library Web Gateway Home Page
Albert E. Jenner Jr. Memorial Law Library
University of Illinois College of Law
return to Law Library Home Page; graphic is 19th-c trial scene copyright www.arttoday.com; used by permission

Introduction to Online Legal Research  (Westlaw and Lexis)
Professors Healey, Callister, Johnson, Williams & Ribstein & Ms. Denslaw




Session: Fall - Spring
Working with databases with tables of contents. Using clip and alert services to stay current. Keeping track of your searches. Practice problems for the Fall Session of Westlaw and Lexis instruction.
Segment and restricted field searching. Natural language search on both Lexis and Westlaw. How to find similar documents using Lexis "More Like This" searching. How to searcher for similar cases using West Key Numbers. How to check status with Shepards and KeyCite.

Lexis:   Segment Searching (Case Law Example)

 
  Past Page   L11  
Next Page

In opening one of the hits, Davis v. Beason, 133 U.S. 333, you note that there are "Core Terms" and "Core Concepts" sections at the beginning of the case.  "Core Concepts" may be hidden with a link to "View Core Concepts."  In addition, these document segments will not appear if you have deselected them in either the "Options" or "Custom View" settings.

You start reading the "Core Concepts" entries, which function like Westlaw headnotes.  You decide you like the second entry and decide to research other case law with this headnote.

Core Terms and Core Concept sections of the document.

UIUC
[ Law Library Home ] [ College of Law ] [ The Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign ]
[ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ]
Please send us your comments on this page.

© 2002, Paul D. Callister