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


Session: Fall - Spring
How to conduct searches within a searching using Lexis Focus and Weslaw Locate.How to use preformulated terms and connector searches on given topics using Westlaw Keysearch.Practice problems for the Fall Session of Westlaw and Lexis instruction.line
How to register your ID and login.How to find the appropriate database to search.How to retrieve a document by its citation or name.How to print, download and email documents.How to construct terms and connector searches.
Terms & Connector Searches:  Proximity Connectors
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Proximity Connectors (/n, /s, /p and “preceding” operators):

Proximity operators express a relationship between search terms as they are found in a document.  These are powerful connectors that allow you to greatly refine a search.
 

  • /p finds documents which contain the terms within the same paragraph.
      “regulatory taking” /p “endangered species”  1 -- case
       
  • /s finds documents which contain the terms within the same sentence
    •  
      “regulatory taking” /s “clean air act”  1 -- case
       
  • /n (where “n” is a number) finds documents which contain the terms within the given number of words (either preceding or following) from each other.
      paul /3 callister
       
    Note: It is almost always a good idea to search for a person using the method above.  Scholars often use a middle name or initial of which the searcher might not be aware. 
  • To require a certain order for the terms use pre/n.
      peter pre/3 hook
       
  • (LEXIS ONLY) To exclude a certain proximity use not /n.
    •  
      (peter pre/3 hook) not/3 (pan or captain)
       
Taken from materials initially prepared by Peter Hook and Paul Callister for the Class of 2003.
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